Divorce
by DeletedAccountNotChangingMind
Summary: Divorce is a messy, dirty, often painful process. It's takes too long, it costs too much, and at the end you're always left with some kind of heart ache. In fact, it's an aweful lot like falling in love.
1. I'm Sorry, What?

**Disclaimer: If I did own Inuyasha, do you think I'd be writing fanfiction?**

This idea hadn't been promised when I announced my next few stories. That's because I hadn't thought of it yet. The idea came to me about to weeks ago, litterally out of no where. I was just cleaning my room and thouhg 'hmm...' and that's where this idea came from. I don't think my idea could actually happen but it's a fun idea, yes? And don't worry, I still will be coming out with Shikon High for those worried, don't worry. I'll put it up when I'm ready :D!

**Divorce  
>By: Sombra112<strong>

**I'm Sorry, What?**

"I'm sorry, what?" Kagome shook her head, sure she had heard wrong.

The man across the desk shrugged and gave her a nothing-I-can-do half smile.

"No, that…that's impossible." Kagome tried to think past the sinking feeling growing in her stomach. "I've never-I mean I…That…"

"Calm down, babe." Hojo put his hand on top of hers.

"No. I'm not going to calm down." Kagome shook his hand off and looked at the poor guy. "You have to be wrong. Check it again."

"Kagome Higurashi. H-I-G-U-R-A-S-H-I. That's you, right?" he asked.

"Of course, but that can't be right." Kagome felt so helpless. "I think I would remember getting married."

"Sorry, ma'am." the guy shrugged. "Our records say you're already married. You can't get another license when you're already married."

Kagome took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and put her hands together like she was praying, for patience the guy was sure. Her diamond engagement ring sparkled on her finger.

"Kagome." Hojo took her hands in his. They were sitting in two different chairs in front of the guy's desk but Hojo had moved his closer to hers. "Relax, honey. Let's just figure out what happened."

"Okay." Kagome opened her eyes and smiled apologetically at the guy behind the desk. "I'm sorry. Please, explain."

The man wasn't all that troubled. Most people cussed him out, at least, when he gave them bad news. She was really cool about it, plus he was wondering how she was going to handle already being married.

"Uh…" he scrolled down the screen, "according to our records you've been married for…almost 25 years."

"Huh?" Kagome shook her head. "That is really impossible. I'm only 28. I would have had to be married at three!"

"Does it say to who?" Hojo asked, his smile kind.

Kagome loved Hojo dearly. He was the sweetest man alive. He was the old fashioned kind of sweet. He opened doors and pulled out chairs for her. On their first date he melted Kagome's heart when he had given her a jacket without hesitation when she was cold. After dating a few idiots who had no idea what 'courtesy' was, it was a great relief to date Hojo.

It didn't hurt that, with that old fashioned charm, he had the traditional good looks. His face wasn't strong, in fact it had a slightly feminine cast to it. And it was that slight beauty that made him so handsome. His brown-blonde hair was short and always well cared for. He was always well groomed, in fact.

Hojo was the perfect match for Kagome. His light looks contrasted with her darker looks. Her eyes had thick dark lashes and her long, black hair was slightly wavy, just enough to be sexy when she let it down. But she normally kept it up because Kagome was a respected business woman. She and Hojo, who was paid to help failing businesses, were perfect together.

He had asked her to marry him just last month and since they had set a date, they went to apply for the marriage license. However…

"Let me see." The man scrolled back up and looked at the name. "Takahashi. Inuyasha. Ring any bells?"

Kagome bit her lip in thought. "No. Not really. I mean…No…I…Ugh."

"It's okay, my love." Hojo kissed her cheek and she smiled at him. "This isn't so bad. An easy fix. A divorce? Right?" He asked the guy.

The man behind the desk nodded. This was actually pretty entertaining to him.

"What, exactly, do we have to do?" Kagome asked him. If she could just get it done and over with so she could start her life with Hojo she would be the happiest woman in the world.

"Uh, divorce." the man agreed with Hojo. "Get some divorce papers, find him, and get him to sign them. It's not like you have to worry about separating your stuff. He'll probably even want it too."

"Yeah." Kagome nodded. "Isn't there some kind of waiting period, though?"

"Six months to get them filed." the man smiled at her groan. "And another six weeks before you can apply for another license."

"See, all we have to do is wait a little. And track down this Inuyasha guy." Hojo said, trying to cheer her up. "And just think, this will be a hilarious story to tell the kids."

"I'm sure it will seem funnier in a few years." Kagome agreed as she slumped in her chair. "But right now it sucks."

"Sit up, love. You'll ruin your back." Hojo kissed her fingers.

Kagome straightened in her chair unhappily. "What information do you have about him?"

"The license just has the names." The guy shrugged. "You'll have to find him yourself."

"Alright, well let's go." Hojo stood and pulled her up with him. "We'll hire a private investigator if we have to."

"Sorry for the inconvenience." the man smiled.

"Thank you for your help." Hojo waved at him and led his fiancée away.

"Kagome Takahashi." Kagome said unhappily as they moved their way around the desks in the records building. "It sounds stupid."

"You're name is still Higurashi." Hojo nudged her side playfully, her hand still in his. "And, in about a year, it will be Kagome Imaki. Doesn't that have a nice ring to it?"

Kagome smiled at him, he was so sweet. "Are you up to waiting a year?" Kagome asked sheepishly.

"I would wait forever for you if I had to." Hojo assured her and Kagome's heart fell for him again. Who could resist such charm?

"How about we get some ice cream?" he winked. "I think we deserve it after this bombshell."

Kagome laughed. "I have to go to work."

"Fine." Hojo bumped her playfully. "Leave me to tell your mother without backup."

Kagome laughed again, her morose already gone. Hojo was just so incredible. "I'm sure you'll be fine. She's been planning my wedding all my life, I'm a sure another year wont hurt her."

They walked out of the building and into the sunlight. All around them were people returning to work, their lunch break over. Kagome was just about to be a part of them.

"Have fun at work." Hojo kissed the side of her mouth. "I'll see you when you get home."

"Bye." Kagome waved at him as he turned and left. What other man would take this news so casually and even come up with the solution? So perfect and Kagome had him all to herself.

Never in her life had anyone cherished her like Hojo. They had moved in together but had yet to sleep together. Hojo said he wanted to wait and that anything worth getting was worth waiting for. He was kind and always looking out for her. An old fashioned gentleman that was never seen anymore and so longed for. And he was Kagome's.

XxXxXxX

"Hey, boss." Sango said as Kagome walked back into the foyer of her office.

She worked somewhere between the halfway point and top floor of a large office building in downtown Tokyo. Sango was her secretary and self-proclaimed therapist. "How did it go at the records place?"

"I'm married." Kagome said shortly as she walked past her and into her office.

"Wait…what?" Sango got up and followed her.

Kagome opened the bottom drawer of her desk and put her purse inside. "Yep. Married."

"Wait…" Sango blinked in confusion. "Just like that? I thought there would be a ceremony?"

"Not to Hojo." Kagome sat down and sat back in her comfy leather chair. Kagome was in charge of finance and accounting at Shikon Inc. As such, she got a pretty good sized office and a wall to ceiling window at her back.

"Ooh." Sango sat down in a chair across from Kagome. "Do tell. I'm curious."

Sango was an interesting personality. She was one of those girls that other girls all seemed to be jealous of. She had hips and sizeable breasts along with a small waist that required no upkeep. She ate whatever she wanted with no consequences. That alone was enough to hate her for but she was also dazzlingly pretty. Her hair was long and brown and, unlike Kagome, she had no shame about letting it down at the office. Probably because it looked like she was in a shampoo commercial. Most people wore dark, conservative suits. Sango had on a suit but it had a short skirt and was a pretty shade of red. She was probably the only person in the whole building who could get away with it.

She was easily hate-able if it wasn't for her charming personality. She wormed her way into the coldest hearts in the building.

Kagome started up her computer as she told her the story. Sango, unlike her, thought it was hilarious.

"That's awesome." she snickered. "How does a person even get married at three? Is that legal?"

"I have no idea." Kagome answered the first question. "I don't even know the guy."

Sango laughed and stood up. "That is so funny."

"So glad you're amused." Kagome glared without any real heat at her.

"I hope he's hot." Sango sat on her desk and played with the Newton's cradle that Kagome watched when she was in a funk.

"Why?" Kagome laughed as she pulled up the files she had been working on before her lunch break and the big news.

"Well, no point in accidentally being married to an ugly guy." Sango shrugged as the cradle clacked on the desk.

"I don't think I was even married." Kagome started typing. "I think someone stole my identity."

"Could happen." Sango agreed. "Well, I'll get back to work."

"Oh, do me a favor." Kagome looked up and smiled at her.

"Look up Takahashi?" Sango asked sweetly.

"Look up Takahashi." Kagome confirmed.

"You got it, boss." Sango waved and sauntered, for there was no other word for it, out of her office.

XxXxXxX

"Yo, Takahashi!"

Inuyasha looked up from his lunch. "Hey, boss." He waved to the round, balding guy with grease and oil all over his blue cover-alls.

"How long you plan on being on break?" he asked a dirty rag in his hand. In Inuyasha's experience, the boss always had a dirty rag in his hand.

"Until I'm done eating." Inuyasha held up the other half of his sandwich.

"Hurry up. You got cars to fix." his boss left the break room and went back into the garage.

Inuyasha worked as a mechanic in a popular garage. Popular because Inuyasha did such damn good work.

"Oh, Miroku you, too!" The boss yelled from the other room, the sound of power tools and motors half-obscuring the sound.

"Nah." Miroku said quietly.

Inuyasha was actually eating his lunch, Miroku was just slacking off. He was sitting backwards on the plastic picnic bench that served as the table in the break room.

Both of them had on the faded, blue cover-alls that were the uniform. The name 'Yukia's Garage' was emblazed in small letters over the right breast. Both of them had grease and oils stains just like the boss though neither had the belly that he did.

"Don't you have something to do?" Inuyasha asked before he took a bite.

"Nah." Miroku repeated lazily. "He won't fire me. He knows you'll go if I go."

"I don't like you that much. I need a job." Inuyasha smirked at him.

Miroku chuckled. He was a good looking man with a lady-killer smile. His black hair was kept in a tiny rat tail at the nape of his neck and his bottle blue eyes sparkled mischievously at most times.

Inuyasha was his opposite in many ways and yet, often, they were so similar they could be brothers. Miroku was skirt chasing and arrogant. Inuyasha was cold and arrogant. They both worked magic under the hood, but Miroku's magic was mostly smoke and mirrors were as Inuyasha was the real deal. They had many of the same interests and had been friends so long it was as if they could read each others thoughts and movements.

But in looks, they were opposite.

Inuyasha had flashing gold eyes to Miroku's blue. He had long silver hair that he refused to cut while Miroku's was long because he was just lazy. Inuyasha had long, sharp canines to Miroku's blunt teeth and, tipping his fingers, were a set of deadly sharp claws. Miroku's hands had multiple scars and scrapes from his job where as Inuyasha's were nearly perfect.

Because, unlike Miroku, Inuyasha was a demon.

Demons were the minority of humans, which was good because demons were enormously powerful. Inuyasha himself acted as the jack when it happened that the three at the garage were being used.

Inuyasha was very strong featured, he emitted a slight aura of power and arrogance. He looked like that 'bad boy' that so bedazzled young girls. At home he kept his long hair down but at work, for safety reasons, he braided it in one long plait down his back. He often looked careless and distant. In fact, he would probably be completely unapproachable to girls if it wasn't for one little detail.

The two triangular dog ears that were perched on his head. They were fuzzy and damnably cute. Often times Inuyasha got a girl solely on those ears. And, he could admit, he used them shamelessly. If they got him some action, he wasn't above using them. Besides, when rubbed right, they could be extremely…stimulating.

When rubbed right. When wrong, it could be very painful.

"Alright. Back to work." Inuyasha crumbled the plastic bag he had brought his lunch in and stood up. Miroku followed a second later.

"By the way, how was your weekend?" he asked as he and Inuyasha left the break room.

"Boring." Inuyasha shrugged as he returned to the Toyota that was having issues. The check engine light just wouldn't go out no matter what the owner did, which is where Inuyasha came in and worked his magic.

He wouldn't be working here long, if he had any luck. He had been saving up since he started work so he could leave this place and start his own garage. He already had a few people who said they wouldn't have anyone but him work on their engine and a few who promised to see how he did on his own. He had his eyes on a building and the ability to fix it up to how he needed. Miroku even promised to come work for him for super cheap until the business took off. Though he did say he expected one hell of a Christmas bonus.

"Oh, I finally got a hold of that guy who sells the tools." Miroku said as Inuyasha bent over the engine.

"Oh, yeah? Which guy?" he asked, his voice slightly muffled from being absorbed by the other sounds in the shop.

"The basic tools." Miroku continued as he leaned against the car. "Not the power tools. Anyway, he said he could give us a great deal for real cheap provided we remember him when the business takes off."

"Great." Inuyasha smirked in satisfaction. Not long now and he would have his own place.

"But we still have a few problems." Miroku leaned over the engine beside Inuyasha so the boss wouldn't chew him out.

"I'll deal with getting the power tools." Inuyasha promised. "I know some people. I'll make some calls."

"Great, but not what I was talking about."

"License?"

"Business." Miroku rolled his eyes. "You're about as good as math as the average 3 year old. How are you going to run a business?"

"A calculator, coffee, and a lot of swearing." Inuyasha laughed.

"Funny, but not helpful." Miroku said dryly. "I say we get professional help with the actual running of the business."

"Negative." Inuyasha said before he could continue.

"Why?" Miroku groaned. "Our magic is under the hood-"

"'Our'?"

"Shut up. Point is, neither of us can run a business. I think we need help."

"No." Inuyasha straightened up and said to his friend, completely serious. "This is my business. I'm going to run it by myself."

"Then what am I here for?" Miroku sat up too.

"To nag my ear off." Inuyasha laughed. "You don't count. Friends don't count. I'm not going to get a separate company to work my books. If I do hire someone to do that, they're going to be my employee full time."

"And a friend?" Miroku asked sarcastically.

"You got it." Inuyasha shut the hood. "Now get this thing up on the lift."


	2. Hey, Boss

**Disclaimer: If I did own Inuyasha, do you think I'd be writing fanfiction?**

Because I can, they're my stories after all, I'm completely updating everything with everthing I've written on break. Only two chapters may not seem like much but when you muiltiply it by six other stories, I think I did pretty damn well. :D!

**Hey, Boss**

"Hey, boss." Sango said cheerily as she walked into Kagome's office. Her suit was a lovely pink-purple today.

"What is it?" Kagome asked absently as she typed away at her computer. This review was do tomorrow and if she worked fast she wouldn't have to take it home.

"I got some stuff for you." she said indicating to the stack of papers in her arms.

"Uh-huh." Kagome still typed and didn't even glance over.

"I have the reports from the offices in Osaka. They should have been here this morning but those people couldn't hurry if you held fire to their asses." Sango set them on the desk.

"Uh-huh…"

"I need you to sign these forms for legal." Sango set a folder on top of the reports. "They said they need them back no later than Wednesday."

"Uh-huh…"

"These are the initial estimates for the company retreat." She put another folder on top of her desk. "They want to know if they can squeeze another thousand into the budget. They're going camping this year so kami knows what they would do with it. There's only so much a camping trip costs."

"…Uh-huh…"

"And this is the report on Takahashi." she put the last folder on top of the others.

Kagome froze and turned her head to look at it.

"I googled him but didn't find anything." Sango admitted. "So I got a friend of mine to do some research. By the way, you need to make reservations for two at that new French restaurant downtown for a 'Hitsuki'."

"Hitsuki?" Kagome repeated as she grabbed the file.

"The friend." Sango explained as Kagome opened it.

"Thanks." Kagome sat back as her eyes roamed the paper.

29 year old mechanic at a place called Yukia's Garage. She was married to a mechanic?

"Anytime." Sango smiled. "I'm going to go take lunch now and leave you alone to get to know your hubby."

"…uh-huh…"

Sango smiled and left the room.

Kagome read over the short report. It didn't say much. His age, his workplace; there wasn't even a picture.

"Inuyasha." Kagome said to herself quietly. She didn't know the name, she was sure. And surely she would remember getting married. It was a mistake, it had to be. He would have been just 4 and she was only 3, no one could get married that young. At least not without permission from their parents and what parents would give that permission? She knew her mom wanted her married but she wasn't crazy enough to give her consent at 3.

Kagome started gnawing on her bottom lip. It was a terrible habit of hers that Hojo was trying to get her to quit. When she was really nervous she could gnaw her lip raw so he was right. But it proved very hard to resist.

She needed a lawyer. She needed to find Inuyasha and talk to him first. She needed to figure out exactly how one could get legally married at 3!

Kagome sighed and put the file down.

She reached back to her computer and pulled up Google and searched for Yukia's Garage.

There was only one in Tokyo and the website was pretty basic. Open hours, work they did, recommendations from people in the city.

Kagome didn't really pay much attention to those until she saw Inuyasha's name pop up.

'Inuyasha is the best mech my car has ever seen! I'll always come back with him there!'

Kagome smiled and, for some odd reason, felt a little bit of pride. That bit of pride got stronger as she found more and more compliments that ran along the same lines. At least she wasn't married to a complete boob. He was talented.

She was excited when she found the 'Employees' page and clicked it eagerly.

The first person to come up was the owner, Yukia. He was a middle aged man with a bit of a gut. He was smiling wide at the camera while wiping his hands off with an oil stained rag. Beside the photo was a little bit of information.

She scrolled down and saw another middle aged man. She went down further and saw a really old man who looked like he should be retired. A little further and she saw a young man with black hair winking at the camera.

One more roll and she hit gold.

Inuyasha Takahashi the words declared above his photo.

He had obviously not cared to have his picture taken as he hadn't stopped and smiled like the others had. They caught him bent over the engine of an old looking truck, his hands blackened and his head turned like someone had just called his name.

He was a demon with bright silver hair and tiny dog ears on his head.

Kagome bit her lip again. Surely she would remember marrying that hair even at three!

She read his info but there wasn't much. His name, how long he had worked there, and a brief bio.

"Inuyasha has worked for us a long time," Kagome read aloud, "and he has the magic touch. The company owes a lot to his talented hands and his knowledge under the hood."

She sat back again and looked at the photo. He had really gold eyes. Really beautiful, gold eyes…

She imagined those eyes would be fiery with passion. He would probably melt a girl just by looking at her. And that long silver hair, when it wasn't braided back, she bet it was soft. It would probably fall down the side of his face and close him and her in a curtain of silken hair. And that body was probably rock hard as he-

She shook the thought from her head. What was she thinking? She was going to be a happily married woman soon she shouldn't be having thoughts about other men!

She hurriedly closed the window and told her fired up libido to slow down. She hadn't had sex since she had started dating Hojo because of his insistence on abstinence. That was the only reason for those thoughts.

She shook her head violently and pulled up her work.

Work, that's what she needed. She would deal with the Inuyasha problem when her body reminded itself that it was a grown woman and not an out of control teenager any longer.

Really, what was her body thinking. She had Hojo, good, dependable, honest, Hojo.

Thinking about him made her body calm a bit and she congratulated herself. There, think about your future husband to get her mind off of the body of another man. The lean, tight body as it leaned over the engine, the thighs clenched and-

HOJO! HOJO! HOJO!

XxXxXxX

Inuyasha stretched as the garage doors lifted and business hour officially began.

Miroku wasn't there yet, he would be in about 5 to 10 minutes. Fashionably late, he called it. Lazy bum, Inuyasha called it. Besides, how fashionable could anyone be in these ugly blue coveralls?

"Yo, Takahashi!" the boss yelled at him from his office on the second story which over looked the work room.

"What?" Inuyasha called back.

"I'm cutting your salary!"

"Then I'm quitting!" Inuyasha yelled back, a half smile on his face. It was a threat his boss made all the time. He knew Inuyasha was saving for his own place which would mean he lost business. But if Inuyasha quite now he would lose business all the sooner. Inuyasha could work just fine freelance.

The boss grumbled as he withdrew into his office and Inuyasha chuckled as the first customer of the day pulled in.

XxXxXxX

Kagome had known Inuyasha was a popular mechanic so she had decided to show up early in the morning before any heavy crowds gathered. Did crowds gather at motor shops?

Either way, she was the first car to pull up to the entrance and the very man she had been looking for walked out, looking slightly amused.

Kagome pushed her sunglasses further up her nose and rolled down her window as he got close. She hadn't had time to pull her hair up this morning so it was down and flowing around her face. She didn't like that, it made her feel…exposed somehow. Like a piece of armor was missing and she was about to ride into battle. Which was also a terrible metaphor for her to think of, she was a business woman not a romantic!

"Welcome." Inuyasha leaned down and looked into her car. She had hid her eyes behind a pair of pitch black glasses which pretty much color matched her way too stuffy, pitch black pants suit. "What can I do for you?" He wondered why she was here, from what he could hear, the car was purring like a kitten. And the inside looked brand new though any trace of new car smell was gone even to his sensitive nose. Then he caught her scent and tried not to smile. It was very…soothing.

"I'm looking for you, actually." Kagome forced herself to smile. She knew it didn't look forced because it was a smile she used all the time when her bosses were riding her nerves. "I was wondering, can we talk?"

"Talk?" Inuyasha chuckled. "That's a new one. I'm kind of busy, lady. Work hours, you know?"

"I understand." Kagome said trying not to feel irritated at the way he said 'lady' as she reached over to the passenger seat and held up the file she had got from her lawyer just this morning. "But it's very important."

"How important?" he asked.

"A few notches under life or death." Kagome said immediately making him laugh.

"If you can talk while I work, you're free to talk." he shrugged. "Doesn't mean I'll talk back."

Kagome rolled her eyes because she knew he couldn't see it behind her glasses. "Then how about you check my engine while I talk? See, you get paid and I get my conversation?"

"Fine. Pull up." Inuyasha stepped back not caring if she wanted to pay money to be told nothing was wrong with her engine.

Kagome put her car in position and turned it off before stepping out, the file in her hand.

"Pop the hood." Inuyasha said as he moved to the front.

"Sorry?" Kagome blinked. She wasn't used to taking her car to the mechanic. If it had a problem Hojo would handle it.

"The hood." Inuyasha tapped it with his knuckles. "Open it."

"Uh…" Kagome looked back in her car, feeling embarrassed and inept at not knowing exactly how to do that.

Inuyasha chuckled again and moved around to her side. She backed off, he bent over, and in a split second she heard a pop as the hood opened.

"So, speak. What's so important that you have to talk to me?" he moved around and opened the hood all way.

"Well, Mr. Takahashi," Kagome started but Inuyasha snickered.

"Call me, Inuyasha." he said absently as he bent over her engine. It wasn't new but it was pretty well maintained.

"Inuyasha." Kagome corrected. "I seem to have a problem only you can fix."

"You're engine's not_ that _bad." he said, his voice muffled from his position.

"It's not about the car." Kagome paused and took a fortifying breath. "I want a divorce."

She watched Inuyasha freeze, then stand up and look at her an unreadable expression on his face.

"I know, I know." Kagome tried not to look him in the face. "It's weird and you don't have any memory of marrying me, I know. I doubt we ever actually married but, legally, we are."

She opened the file and showed him the marriage license.

"Well, look at that." he said as he gazed at it.

"It's absurd and impossible, I know." Kagome laughed awkwardly wondering why it seemed she was the only one flustered about this. He looked so calm and unconcerned. "See, the thing is, I want to get married and I can't do that because-"

"You and me are already hitched." Inuyasha laughed as his gaze went to her left hand.

Feeling a sense of pride, Kagome held up the 3 karat diamond ring Hojo had got her. It was a simple, traditional stone set in a thin silver band. "Hojo asked me to marry him about a month ago. But, when we went to get a license, I got the news."

"Huh." Inuyasha's eyes went back to her face. "Funny old world, isn't it?"

"Yes." Kagome laughed. "I had my lawyer draw up some divorce papers. You'll probably want you're lawyer to look them over as well but we don't have anything to separate so I don't see-"

"Let me see them." Inuyasha held out his hand.

"Oh, okay." Kagome smiled and fumbled as she pulled out the papers. "It just basically says what's yours is yours and what's mine is mine. Honestly, all we have to do is get the papers signed and filed. I've already signed my name, see there?"

"Yup." Inuyasha said as his eyes skimmed over all the legal jargon. "All right. I'll uh, get my lawyer to take a peek. For safety purposes, you know."

"Absolutely." Kagome smiled in relief. "Thank you for understanding."

"So, since you're my wife and all," Inuyasha smirked, "can I at least get to know you before we split up?"

Kagome laughed. "Are you asking me out? You know I'm engaged, right?"

"Not legally." he pointed out as he waved the divorce papers. "Technically, you're just cheating on me."

"Oh, okay." Kagome laughed as another car pulled up. "Fine. Why not, I bet we can be friends. And, think of how funny this will be when I have kids."

"Yeah." Inuyasha chuckled. "We got married, went on our first date, then got a divorce. I guess the sex was bad or something."

"Haha." Kagome said dryly feeling slightly off at his casual mention of sex. "Like we ever."

"Hey, we should perform our marital duties at least once. Consummate the marriage, as they say." He smirked playfully at her.

"Not going to happen." Kagome put her hand up and closed the hood of her car, a playful smile on her face as well. "Just for that, I'm leaving a bad comment on your website."

"You don't have the balls." Inuyasha smiled as she got back into her car and started it up. "So, when do I get my first date with my wife?" he asked through her rolled down window.

"My phone number is in the papers." Kagome smiled. "I pick, you pay?"

"Hell, no." Inuyasha laughed and winked at her. "As long as we've been married? We're going dutch."

Kagome laughed and pulled out of the garage feeling like maybe this wasn't such a bad thing after all. They might even become good friends.

Inuyasha went back to the break room to put his divorce papers in his locker. A divorce, huh?

Kagome was pretty hot. Sure she had 'corporate' written all over her in strict, computer text, but he knew that wasn't all there was to her. Hair like that, thick and black and wild, didn't belong to severe, business oriented girls. Plus she was so tense she could probably shit out diamonds if she ate a lump of coal. Inuyasha recognized sexual tension when he saw it.

Kagome would be a tiger in bed, feisty and adventurous. He could picture her in his bed, her hair pooled around her head like a fan as her back arched in ecstasy under him. Oh, she would most definitely be a firecracker in bed.

But that ring? Adventurous, firecrackers didn't buy tiny little diamonds in simple little silver bands. No, that Hojo she was marrying was probably just as stuck up as she thought she was.

"Hey, buddy." Miroku walked in, right on late, as Inuyasha was closing his locker.

"You know, however much I like you, I'll fire you if you suck this bad at my place." Inuyasha smirked at him.

"Well, don't you look pleased." Miroku smiled innocently. "What has happened, my dearest and closest of friends?"

"Nice try, kiss ass." Inuyasha laughed. "But, since you asked, I met a girl."

"Oh, yeah?" Miroku turned and looked out into the garage as another car pulled in. "Scare her off already?"

"No. She's married." Inuyasha laughed at the look Miroku gave him.

"As a friend, I feel I should warn you." Miroku said grimly. "Dating married chicks seems fun and all, but only until you find out the husband is capable of murder. Then you have to go into witness protection because he chopped his wife up after finding out you two were together and you have to start a whole new life completely different from your last one."

"Have much experience with that, do you?" Inuyasha sniggered.

"It's a hypothetical situation." Miroku said with great dignity.

"Uh-huh." Inuyasha said dryly. "Well, I'm not worried about her husband finding out."

"That's what they all say." Miroku rolled his eyes. "Then you find out the husband is a multi-billion dollar business mogul and you spend the rest of your life living in a box in an abandoned alleyway and digging your meal from trashcans because he called every employer in the country and made you completely unemployable."

"Seriously," Inuyasha said as he walked out, "I think we need to have you checked."

XxXxXxX

"Dinner?" Hojo asked from the bed. He was wearing a gray shirt and his red, plaid pajama pants along with a pair of plain white socks as he sat up against the head board on the comforter. In his lap was a book that Kagome believed was a legal thriller.

"That's okay, right?" Kagome asked, looking at his reflection in her vanity. Kagome had on her silk nightgown that flowed past her knees and felt like cream on her skin. It happened to be the exact color of cream so that made Kagome feel even more decadent. She had finished removing her make up and was pulling her hair back and braiding it so it wouldn't get too tangled while she slept. "We haven't actually set a date yet so you can say no if you want."

"No, I think it's a great idea." Hojo smiled encouragingly at her. "Who knows, we might become great friends."

"That's exactly what I thought." Kagome smiled as she put on her nightly lotions.

"Great minds, huh?" he winked at her. "Did you give him the papers?"

"Yes." Kagome said with a little bit of victory in her voice. "He says he'll have his lawyer look them over and get them back to me soon."

"Then we're that much closer." Hojo slipped a bookmark between the pages of his book. "I spoke to your mother today."

"Oh?" Kagome stood up and turned to him. "And what did she say?"

"She says that it's the anticipation that makes something better." Hojo put the book on his bedside table. "I asked her if she still had her wedding dress. I was thinking you could wear it to our wedding."

"That would be sweet." Kagome turned down her side of the bed as Hojo stood and did the same. "But mom had a Shinto wedding, not a western one. Her dress is a kimono."

"That's what she said." Hojo and Kagome climbed into bed at the same time. "But I asked her to look anyway as we haven't ruled out anything yet."

"I'm sure it will be a perfect ceremony." Kagome smiled at him seductively.

"Wait until our wedding night, dearest." Hojo chastised gently, recognizing the look in her eyes.

They leaned in and gave each other a quick peck before rolling over, turning off their bedside lamps and laying down.


	3. Kagome

**Disclaimer: If I did own Inuyasha, do you think I'd be writing fanfiction?**

Hello, everybody! I have recently started an inner debate with myself (who else) over whether or not to write on fictionpress dot com, a sister sight to this one. The only difference is that the stories are your own, not fanfics. (gasp) Here's my problem, I write fanfics for a reason. 1) I SUCK at macking my own characters. I can give advice like the best of them but when it comes to implamenting it, I just plain old stink. 2) I can't ever decide on a location. I know at most times the exact location is moot but you still have to decide big city, small city, forest, mountain, plain, here, there, when, yet another thing I reak at. and 3) Like I said, I can give advice like the best of them, but I can't write like the best of them. Of course, I know I'm not as bad as when I started fanfics, I have a little bit of self esteem after all, but I absolutely bomb whenever I try my hand at something I make that is completely my own. I guess what I'm asking is, if I did give it a try, would anyone think I could do it?

**Kagome**

Kagome took great pride in her work. She thought she was pretty damn good at what she did, whether or not Hojo approved of the colorful phrase or not. She didn't care that she was just another account manager, what she did brought her joy. Besides, one thing her mother had always said to her: "Kagome, you can be anything you want to, baby, anything at all. And, no matter what you choose, I'll support you to the fullest. But just know, whatever you pick, you are going to be the very best you can be at it."

Kagome had taken those words to heart, and went off to be the best account manager she could.

It wasn't that easy of course. Boss preferences, prejudices and Kagome's own limitations would inhibit her.

However, that didn't stop her from climbing as far up the ladder as she could.

Which, of course, is where her respect for Inuyasha came in. He did what he did well and he wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty, obviously. So it wasn't like she thought his job was worthless or beneath hers even if she wore a fancy suit and he wore stained coveralls. Because, when Kagome, in her rebellious faze, had told her mother she was going to be a janitor to spite her, her mother had smiled and said "Then you'll be the best janitor in the world. Brain surgeon or janitor, it doesn't matter to me, so long as you do your best and become the best you can at it."

That conversation taught Kagome that even the smallest job needed doing and needed doing well. Besides, mechanics made good money when they themselves were good and according to what she read, Inuyasha was the best.

That, mixed with his rugged good looks and his sense of humor, that she found very funny, made Kagome sure she was going to like him.

"Kagome." Sango walked into her office while Kagome was bent over her calculator, trying to find exactly what she had done wrong in her last calculation. "I got some more stuff." she held up the stack of files in her hands.

"Oh, yay." Kagome said sarcastically as Sango beamed.

"I got here a note from the boss, he says keep up the good work and happy birthday." Sango put the sticky note in front of her.

"My birthday was six months ago." Kagome said dryly.

"I know, but he's an idiot." Sango laughed. "Rumors are he's being considered for a demotion and guess who is being considered to take his spot?"

"What else you got?" Kagome asked as she threw the post it away, the rumor had been around for a while now, she wasn't all that surprised.

"This came in from legal." Sango put a really thick file on her desk. "Remember how we were being sued a while back?"

"For racism?" Kagome asked as she opened the file. There it was, an employee had proven to be racist against a customer. The employee, 33 year old Mitsuki Hato, had been blatantly racist to a family of snake demons that had wanted to do business. Human on demon racism, it was a terrible thing.

"Yeah, the family won." Sango nodded. "We owe them huge and the whole company is doing a whole a 'we care' and 'sorry about that' thing to the public.

"Mitsuki wasn't fired though, was she?" Kagome rolled her eyes and closed the file. "All right, what else?"

"Updated estimate for the retreat." Sango put the file down. "They say they're unhappy about not getting the extra thousand."

"Yeah, well, we just got sued. They're lucky they're going." Kagome pointed out.

"Here's one from administration." Sango put a file down. "They wouldn't talk to me about it but you know how high and mighty executives get."

"Great." Kagome opened it just as her phone rang.

Ever the secretary, Sango reached down and pressed 'speaker' and said in a very professional voice that Kagome said sounded like a sex phone operator "Ms. Higurashi's office, how can I help you."

Inuyasha's voice came through, "_Yeah, can I talk to Kagome?"_

"Who may I ask is calling?"

"Stop it, Sango." Kagome laughed. "Hey, Inuyasha."

"Ooh, as in The Inuyasha." Sango giggled. "So, you're Kagome's husband, huh? Nice to finally talk to you."

"_Legally." _Inuyasha replied. "_Do you have me on speaker?"_

"Uh-huh." Kagome said. "What do you need."

"I was planning on cashing in my 'Free Date with my Wife' card."

"You promised him a date?" Sango's eyes lit up with excitement. "Kagome, naughty, naughty. Does Hojo know?"

"Of course!" Kagome jumped to her own defense. "And it's not a date. We just thought this was a funny situation and that we should get to know each other."

"_Aw, Hojo knows?" _Inuyasha said sadly. "_Come on, can't you even pretend to be the cheating wife."_

"You already know about him." Kagome pointed out. "That kind of rules out that possibility."

"_I was referring to Hojo." _Inuyasha said and she could practically see his arrogance through the phone. _"Already thinking of me as your hubby, darling?"_

"Careful, Inuyasha." Kagome said sweetly. "I can always revoke your 'Free Date with my Wife' card."

"_Cold, baby. Cold." _Inuyasha laughed. "_So, when are you free?"_

"I don't know." Kagome dallied as she played with a pin between her fingers. "My schedule's pretty booked."

"She's free Friday night." Sango, who organized her schedule, jumped in.

"Sango!"

"I can do Friday."

Inuyasha said.

"Dinner at 7?" Sango continued.

"I'm right here, you know!" Kagome growled at the pair of them.

"_Seven." _Inuyasha confirmed, ignoring her. "_Where should we meet?"_

"How about that new French place." Sango suggested immediately. "Kagome takes all her business dinners there."

"_To have a business dinner with my own wife. How sad." _Inuyasha said playfully. _"But I'll take it. See you then, darling!"_

He hung up and Kagome glared at Sango. "What was that for?"

"You're welcome." Sango said as she turned the phone off.

"For what? Making me a date I might have refused?" Kagome grumbled.

"No." Sango shook her head. "For making a purely business dinner with a man you were flirting with who wasn't your fiancée."

Kagome gasped. "I wasn't flirting!"

"And I'm not leaving." Sango turned and walked away.

"I wasn't flirting!" Kagome insisted but Sango closed the door. "I wasn't flirting…was I?"

XxXxXxX

Sango had been right to insist that Kagome go where she took all her business dinners, Kagome thought as she sipped on her red wine and waited for Inuyasha to show up. She felt more in control here. Her black, conservative dress and string of pearls, that she always wore to her business dinners here, felt like her armor and this place a familiar battlefield.

Kagome shook her head, trying to rid herself of the romantic image. What was with her? She was a business woman for crying out loud.

She didn't have to wait long.

Only a few minutes after she sat, and after barely a couple sips of her wine, Inuyasha appeared, led by the head waiter.

Kagome smiled at him as she, subtly, gazed at him.

Though it wasn't uncommon to see one here, he wasn't wearing a tuxedo. He had on a pair of black slacks and a red button up shirt that he had tucked neatly into his waistband. His hair was down and flowed behind him almost like it had a mind of its own. She had to admit, he cut a pretty nice figure. He managed to make the other men there look overdressed.

"Hey." he said casually as he sat down. "Sorry, did you wait long."

"I just got here." Kagome shook her head.

"What would you like to drink, sir?" the waiter asked politely.

"Uh," Inuyasha saw her wine and she saw take an almost imperceptible sniff, then he smiled and said, "I'll have what she's having."

"Very good, sir." the waiter nodded and walked away.

Kagome laughed gently. "So, you must be a dog demon then. I've heard you have great senses of smell."

"We do." Inuyasha sat back and relaxed and Kagome had to admit, he did blend in magnificently with his surroundings.

Then their waiter came back, a female this time, and set a wine glass down before Inuyasha. She poured just a bit and Inuyasha took a small sip.

He closed his eyes and savored it. "Mm, delicious."

He put the glass down and the waitress filled it completely.

"Are you ready to order now, miss?" she asked politely.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome looked at him.

"Absolutely." he smiled politely at the waitress.

"Here you are then." she gave them both a menu. "I'll be back to take your orders in a moment."

"Thank you." they both said as they took them and opened them automatically as she walked away.

"You have good taste in wine." Inuyasha said as he unfolded his napkin and shook it gently.

Kagome smiled. "And you have impeccable table manners."

He smirked. "I can play up in the clouds with you rich folk."

"I can tell." Kagome felt that strange sense of pride again. "Surely a mechanic wouldn't know such things."

Inuyasha shrugged. "My father used to be a pretty big business man, I learned it all from him."

"Used to be?" Kagome asked.

"He died a long time ago." Inuyasha smiled at her to show that she hadn't offended him with the question. "I'm over it now. My brother runs the business in his place and we haven't actually said two words to each other since dad married my mom now that I think about it."

Kagome laughed. "You settle in quick, don't you?"

"You're my wife." Inuyasha shrugged. "If I can't be comfortable with you, who can I be comfortable with? How about you? What about your parents?"

"My mom has been a stay at home mom since my little brother was born." Kagome answered promptly. "Before that she was a caterer. She's a really great cook. My dad was a great man but he was fond of alcohol. He died of liver failure not long after my brother was born."

"I'm sorry." Inuyasha said.

"I'm over it." she mimicked him. "We tried to help him with his drinking but he just wouldn't listen."

"Some people don't want help." Inuyasha pointed out.

"It was a long time ago." Kagome shrugged. She was saved from further conversation on the subject by the return of their waitress.

"Ready?" she asked with a smile.

"I am." Inuyasha said. "Kagome?"

"Oh, yes." Kagome lied realizing that she hadn't even glimpsed at the menu. She ordered the first thing she saw and handed it back.

Inuyasha did the same and smiled at Kagome. "So, you know what I do, how about you? What does my darling wifey do to make a living?"

"I am an accounting manager." Kagome smiled proudly.

"What?" Inuyasha laughed as Kagome's face fell. "I'm kidding. They're the ones who manage the budget right?"

"Close enough." Kagome pouted.

"What made you want to work with numbers?" he asked as he sipped at his wine. And damn him for looking so sexy while doing it.

"I like math." Kagome giggled as Inuyasha made a face of disgust. "I know, I know. Laugh it up. I've just always been soothed by numbers. No matter what happens in life, numbers are always steady and predictable."

Inuyasha smiled at her. "That's beautiful."

Kagome flushed as if he had said 'you're beautiful' and looked away shyly. "So, how about you? Why did you want to become a mechanic?"

"Well, I didn't always." Inuyasha said carelessly. "But, after my brother took over the business I wanted out. Me and Sesshomaru never got along so I figure it was best for everyone if I just found a new way to make my living. And I've always liked cars so I figured why not work on them? Luckily for me, I'm really good at it."

"People tend to be good at doing what they love." Kagome agreed. "With practice."

"And we practice because we love it." Inuyasha lifted his glass in salute to her and took a sip.

Kagome smiled then nearly jumped. Actually, she did jump. She jumped back and sat back in her chair because she realized she and Inuyasha had been getting progressively closer to each other over the table.

"Something wrong?" he asked, concerned at her sudden action.

"Nothing." Kagome smiled reassuringly at him as her heart started racing. Damn it, Sango was right! Kagome _was_ flirting with him. What was _wrong_ with her? She was going to be happily married in about a year! She had to remember that.

"Uh, Hojo is very interested in you." Kagome said in an offhand way as she straightened the napkin in her lap.

"Oh?" Inuyasha smirked and she could swear she saw amusement in his eyes. "So, what's my replacement like?"

"He's not a replacement." Kagome said immediately. "We are married by mistake."

"That hurts, baby." Inuyasha continued smirking.

"And he's a great guy." Kagome said, smiling as she thought of him. "He's polite and kind. He cares about others. He's that old fashioned kind of good guy. He truly listens to me when I talk and he's so smart. He lives his life helping people. Even his job is helping struggling businesses."

"A business man marrying a business woman." Inuyasha thought. "I thought opposites were supposed to attract."

"Like also attracts like." Kagome said with great dignity.

"If you say so." Inuyasha grinned at her.

Before Kagome got a chance to respond. The waitress returned again with their food.

"Will that be all?" she asked.

"Yes." Kagome and Inuyasha said at the same moment. "Thank you." Inuyasha finished by himself.

Kagome looked at her food and stabbed at the lamb unhappily. He was so much like her and at the same time so very different. It was bad enough that Kagome hadn't slept with anyone since she started seeing Hojo, and a little while before if truth be told, but Inuyasha had to be so very likeable. This was it. Inuyasha got his 'Free Date with my Wife' card and she would have to make sure she didn't see him again until after the wedding. A woman about to marry a man had no business lusting after a different one.

Inuyasha himself, damn him, didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable. Then again, he wasn't about to marry someone.

"Are you seeing anyone?" Kagome asked suddenly.

"Getting jealous already?" he asked with a smile as he started eating his salmon.

"It was a harmless question." Kagome assured him.

"Then, no." he looked at her happily. "The only one for me is my darling wife."

"You should be more serious sometimes." Kagome said as she grabbed her wine glass.

"Oh, but I am." Inuyasha said, mocking the way she had been talking, dignified and slightly distant and he added an English accent for fun. "My wife is the most important person in the world to me. For her, I would do anything!" He closed his eyes like a suffering hero and Kagome laughed against her will.

"You're silly."

Inuyasha smiled at her and took a drink. "But you're smiling at me again."

Kagome blinked then pouted again. The bastard, he was manipulating her like they _had _been married for almost 25 years. Then again, that was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever said to her, aside from Hojo of course she reminded herself fiercely.

"So, about your career." Kagome changed the subject. "Are you planning on working on engines forever."

"That's the plan." Inuyasha nodded. "But not as Yukia's. I've almost saved up enough to get my own place."

"Inuyasha's Garage?" Kagome asked and danmed herself for the pride that hit her again.

"I was thinking just Inuyasha's." he shrugged. "But I'll probably change my mind a hundred times between now and then. You know, I could probably use an accounting manager, if you ever need a job…?"

Kagome laughed. "Well, at least I won't have to worry about unemployment, but I'm happy where I am."

"The offer is on the table." he shrugged. "So, what are your feelings on dessert?"

"I should probably get home after dinner." Kagome said not wanting to stay and risk more inappropriate thoughts. "I don't want Hojo to worry."

"So, can I ask you something?" Inuyasha said suddenly.

"Of course, anything." Kagome shrugged.

"Well, I was just wondering," Inuyasha hedged, "is Hojo any good in bed?"

Kagome squeaked in shock as every muscle tightened.

"You said anything." Inuyasha reminded her with that same damnable smirk.

"I didn't mean that!" Kagome whispered harshly as she gazed around to see if anyone had heard the comment.

"You didn't make any exceptions." he laughed. "So is he or not?"

"That is none of your business." Kagome said with as much dignity as she could muster.

"So that's a 'no', right?" Inuyasha smirked in triumph.

"It was a 'none of your business'!" Kagome growled.

"Oh…" Inuyasha said quietly. "You two haven't done it yet, have you? Don't tell me he's _that_ old fashioned?"

"You are insufferable." Kagome growled as she picked her napkin off her lap and threw it in her plate. "Good day, Inuyasha." She got up and tried her best not to stomp out of the restaurant like a child.

Inuyasha laughed and took the last bite of his fish.


	4. Happy

**Disclaimer: If I did own Inuyasha, do you think I'd be writing fanfiction?**

...

**Happy**

"Happy one month anniversary." Hojo announced when Kagome opened the door that night as she came home.

"Huh?" Kagome blinked stupidly, not sure what he was talking about.

Hojo had dressed up in casual slacks and a blue polo shirt that made his eyes really pop. In one hand he had two champagne flutes and in the other the champagne itself. Behind him, through the living room and into the kitchen, Kagome saw their dining room table set with the matching plates and a lily in a small, clear vase.

"Anniversary?" she repeated as he hurried her inside and shut the door. "Anniversary for what?"

"Silly." he kissed her cheek as he passed by her. "It's been a month, exactly, since I asked you to marry me. You don't remember?"

Kagome smiled at him as her face flushed in pleasure. "Oh, Hojo, of course I do. It's just today was a hard day at work and...I've had a lot on my mind." Yeah, the drop dead sexy husband that she had no right at all to be thinking of.

"Well, I just want you to relax." he set the glasses down and removed her coat. "We are going to have a nice meal and I have rented us a nice, romantic movie to top it off."

"That sounds great." Kagome said as he hung it up in the hall closet. "But you didn't have to go through all this trouble."

"For my Kagome, it was no trouble at all." he assured her.

Kagome blushed as he took her face in his hands and kissed her gently. Hojo was sweet and warm, like honey. It was hard not to melt under those eyes or forget all woes in that careful touch.

"I want to spend the rest of my life spoiling you." he leaned back and took her hands in his. "And it all starts right now."

Kagome let him lead her to the table where he pulled out her chair for her and pushed it back in when she had sat down.

"You look beautiful." Hojo stroked her cheek before turning and grabbing the champagne and glasses.

Kagome beamed at the sweetness of it when he left to go into the kitchen. He was the sweetest man alive. Kagome was the luckiest woman alive.

So why was she so unhappy?

Kagome looked at her empty plate and all she could see was Inuyasha's face. This wasn't like her. Never before had anyone invaded her thoughts like this. Even Hojo could be put from her mind so she could concentrate on work. But she was having a hard time at work because everywhere she turned she saw Inuyasha. Every time her phone rang she both dreaded and anticipated his voice. And it was never him.

That was the worst part. He hadn't called her, not once.

It wasn't like they were dating and she had obviously left the restaurant less than pleased with him. But he wasn't apologizing or anything! It was driving her mad! _He_ was driving her mad!

That, of course, made her feel terrible for having such thoughts about another man. Then she came home and was met at the door with Hojo and champagne and the best dinner since he proposed.

She closed her eyes and relived that moment. He had taken her out to dinner then too. It had been a fancy restaurant that was probably far out of their budget range. Then he had taken her for a moonlit stroll through the very park they had first met. And underneath a cherry blossom tree, he had taken a knee and offered himself and his ring to her.

Kagome held up her ring finger for inspection and admired the sparkle of the diamond in the light. She had been hoping and praying for that very question for so long that she hadn't hesitated in blurting out her 'yes'.

"For you, my lady." Hojo set her drink down in front of her, startling her out of her thoughts. "Something wrong?"

"Nothing." Kagome beamed up at him and counted her blessings. Her faith and love was being tested and she was going to prove that she could resist even the most tempting of temptations.

"Well don't worry about it." Hojo caught her lie. "Because I have a present for you."

"Oh you didn't have to." Kagome said as Hojo reached into his pocket.

"Close your eyes." he said, a delighted smile of anticipation on his face. "I want it to be a surprise."

Kagome laughed and did as he asked. She only waited a few second before she felt something on her neck and Hojo securing something.

"Open." he said.

Kagome did so and immediately looked down. She gasped and smiled wide. "Oh, Hojo, it's beautiful."

She lifted the small diamond necklace up to examine a bit more. It was a match to her engagement ring.

"Thank you." Kagome stood and wrapped her arms around him. "I love it."

XxXxXxX

Inuyasha looked up in surprise as Miroku walked in right on time. "Wow, who did you kill?"

"When?" Miroku asked with a smirk as he went to his locker. "No one this time. Actually, I wanted to talk."

"You considered it important enough to get to work on time?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow in shock. "Is Hell freezing over?"

"Be serious." Miroku said. "Actually. I was talking to Hiruka, the lady who owns your future building-"

"Please tell me this isn't bad news." Inuyasha groaned. Last time Hiruka had talked to them it was the tell them that an earthquake had destroyed the foundation of the building Inuyasha had his eyes on and he would have to find another.

"It's not bad news." Miroku said automatically.

"Are you lying?" Inuyasha asked.

"Actually, no." Miroku laughed. "Hiruka says that the other guy who had his eye on the property backed out leaving you the only one interested."

"Yes!" Inuyasha cried in triumph.

"And to celebrate, she's willing to lower the price by another few thousand." Miroku continued.

"Oh, baby!" Inuyasha slammed his locker in happiness. "You're not pulling my leg right? She's lowering the price?"

"And you wont believe how much it is now." Miroku continued.

"My heart can't take much more. How much?" Inuyasha smiled as Miroku quoted a number, a number not so far out of his savings amount. "Hot damn! This is great news! We'll be open in no time!"

"You can tell me how awesome I am now." Miroku smirked and Inuyasha rolled his eyes.

"Hiruka lowered the price, not you." Inuyasha pointed out. "All you did was tell me."

"What's the point of being a messenger if you don't get praise for good news and get shot for bad?" Miroku grumbled.

"Thanks." Inuyasha smacked his friend on the shoulder. "I think I'm the happiest man alive today."

"Oh?" Miroku raised his own eyebrow. "You've been like this since your date with the married lady. Are you going to give me details yet?"

"Nothing to tell." Inuyasha sighed in happiness as the garage doors outside opened. "Nothing happened."

"Wait, you went out with a married lady and didn't get any?" Miroku looked at him, surprised. "What's the point on cheating with your husband if nothing happens?"

"She wasn't cheating." Inuyasha laughed. "She's _my_ wife."

Miroku's face went blank as Inuyasha laughed and left the room.

"Wait a minute!" he chased after him. "You can't drop a bombshell like that and leave! Now I really need details!"

"You get more excited about gossip than old women." Inuyasha said, still grinning.

"When did you get married?" Miroku said like he hadn't heard him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was a long time ago." Inuyasha said as he leaned against a wall and waited for the first customer of the day.

"And you couldn't mention it?" Miroku asked. "And how come I never met her?"

"She was here a couple weeks ago. If you had been here on time you would have met her." Inuyasha smirked.

"What's she like? What's her name?" Miroku demanded to know.

"Kagome." Inuyasha smiled as he thought of her. "Kagome Takahashi."

XxXxXxX

"Sango, has Inuyasha sent back the divorce papers yet?" Kagome asked as she walked into work that morning, Sango at her side.

"Nope." Sango shrugged. "Sorry. Maybe his lawyer is still looking over them?"

"Who needs two weeks to read a divorce decree that's as cut and dry as that one was?" Kagome grumbled.

"Ooh, someone's testy." Sango laughed. "I'm pretty sure it's not that time of the month yet, so what's bothering you?"

"Nothing." Kagome very nearly snarled as they got on the elevator.

"Sure." Sango laughed. "Is this the same nothing that made you breath fire on Friday?"

"Don't make me kill you." Kagome growled.

"You don't have the guts." Sango said, completely unconcerned. "Honey, if you're having doubts why don't you just-"

"I'm not having doubts!" Kagome snapped at her. "I love Hojo and I'm going to spend my life with him!"

"Um, I was talking about the Henderson account." Sango raised an eyebrow. "You're having doubts about Hojo?"

"No!" Kagome insisted as the elevator stopped on their floor. "I said I love him, damn it."

"Uh-huh." Sango followed her boss out. "And how do you feel about Inuyasha recently?"

"Asshole." Kagome ground her teeth.

"Hm?" Sango blinked. "You're cussing an awful lot this morning. Did you not get your morning cup of coffee?"

"I had my coffee!" Kagome snapped. "Stop patronizing me!"

"Then how about some morning loving?" Sango asked. "Nothing makes me feel better like morning loving."

Kagome growled and mumbled darkly under her breath.

Sango gasped. "Don't tell me you and Hojo aren't sleeping together?"

"Oh, no." Kagome laughed sarcastically. "There's lots of sleeping going on."

"Oh, honey." Sango said sympathetically. "You've been with him for how long now?"

"Hojo believes in abstinence." Kagome defended him. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"What are you, a high school health teacher?" Sango rolled her eyes. "That's just bullshit they tell teenagers so they don't get knocked up. How are you going to marry the man without knowing if he's any good in bed? What if you get married and discover he's terrible? That's not an easy fix, honey."

"I'm sure he's more than satisfactory." Kagome said unhappily.

"Satisfactory?" Sango repeated in amazement. "Honey, when I'm having sex with a man I want to be doing an impression of the Exorcist. Screaming at the top of my lungs, bucking wildly, head thrashing back and forth, eyes rolling back into my head."

"The sad thing is that you had to have thought that out at one point." Kagome said as they walked into Kagome's office.

"Are you telling me no one's ever made you do that?" Sango looked at her, pity in her eyes. "Honey, you talk to me sometime. I know a lot of young studs ready and willing to-"

"I'm engaged!" Kagome said, blushing furiously.

"And married." Sango laughed. "Why not add a boy toy to your collection?"

"What is wrong with you?" Kagome said in amazement. "Why do I talk to you?"

"Because you love me, admit it." Sango set her purse on her desk as Kagome walked past her and into her inner office. "Seriously, though. If you're having doubts about Hojo, you can still call off this wedding thing."

Kagome sighed as her anger left her in a rush leaving her feeling like a deflated balloon. "I don't want to have doubts. I love Hojo. I know I do. It's just…"

"Kagome, I love my cat." Sango shrugged. "But I'd never marry her. There _are _different kinds of love."

"Hojo is perfect." Kagome said down and looked at her familiar surroundings. "I shouldn't have doubts. He's the prince any girl would dream of having."

"Exactly." Sango said. "Only little girls dream of the prince on a white horse. Women have a different view. We want the tall, more handsome brother that's a little dark and has black satin sheets."

"Again, you had to have thought this out at one point." Kagome said. "How can you be a business woman and have such fantastical thoughts?"

"Just because I'm a business woman doesn't mean I can't be a romantic." Sango shrugged. "Wait. I bought this hot new romantic novel yesterday. You have to read."

"Sango, I don't-" Kagome rolled her eyes as Sango ignored her and went to go dig in her purse.

"You'll love it. It's about a business woman too so you can probably relate." Sango came back in, a paperback novel in her hands. "I just got it so I haven't finished it yet but I have more at home and your need is greater than mine." Sango handed her the book.

Kagome took it with a sigh. She looked at the cover and was relieved it at least didn't have an overly muscled guy and girl with big, simpering eyes looking up at him adoringly, both half naked.

Instead it had the name 'Nora Roberts' in big letters and under it, in slightly smaller letters, was the title.

"The Villa?" Kagome asked.

"It's such a good story so far. Savvy, sexy business woman meets down and dirty vineyard worker. Oh, you'll love it." Sango sat on her desk. "I'm not even half way through and I already love it. You have to give it back though. Like I said, I'm not finished."

"I don't know." Kagome set the book down and looked at it like it was a weird shaped animal from another country. "I've never been into romances."

"Have you ever read one?" Sango asked.

"Well…"

"Exactly." Sango said. "Nora Roberts is a genius American romance writer."

"Aren't romances just sex scenes?" Kagome blushed. "How can I read that?"

"That is not what it's about." Sango rolled her eyes. "There is sex yes but Roberts is a perfect place for you to start. Her sex scenes are tasteful and still seductive and sexy. And it's not just about the sex. It's the love that's important. Consider it homework. Study up."

Kagome sighed and picked the book up again.

XxXxXxX

Three days later and the book was burning a hole in Kagome's purse. The more she tried not the think about it the more it burrowed into her brain. But she couldn't just pick it up and start reading it. Hojo would find that odd and start asking questions. And how would she explain that.

So she waited until she got a call from Hojo, telling her he would be late, before finally giving in. She laid back under her covers, a cup of steaming tea on her nightstand, and she took the book from her bag.

She ran her hands on the cover, embarrassed despite being alone.

"Relax. It's just a book." she told herself. "If you don't like it, you can put it down and give it back and no one needs to know."

She took a deep breath, opened the book, and started reading.

Thirty minutes later, her tea was cold, her worries were forgotten, and she was completely absorbed in the pages.


	5. I Think I Should Meet Him

**Disclaimer: If I did own Inuyasha, do you think I'd be writing fanfiction?**

...

**I Think I Should Meet Him**

"I think I should meet him." Hojo said suddenly one night, looking up from his newest legal thriller.

"Yeah…" Kagome said, not really paying attention. Her newest book, again on loan from Sango, was really sucking her in. Trust Me, by Jayne Ann Krentz. These American romance novelists…wow…

"I said I…Kagome, are you even listening?" he leaned forward, into her line of vision.

Kagome blinked and looked away from the compelling text. "What? Were you saying something?"

Hojo laughed. "When did you get so into romance novels?"

"Sango got me hooked." Kagome blushed. "They're better than you think. It's not like…uh…well…um…"

Hojo laughed. "I think love is always beautiful, in whatever form it comes in." He leaned over and kissed her cheek so very sweetly.

Kagome blushed and left the glorious world of her book to focus on him. "I'm sorry, honey. You have my full attention now. What did you say?"

"I said I think I should meet him." Hojo repeated, a small smile on his face as he pulled Kagome under his arm and tucked her lovingly into his side.

"Him?" Kagome blinked in confusion.

"Your future ex-husband." Hojo clarified. "In some weird way, I guess we're kind of like family. I really want to get to know him. Be friends with him, the way you are."

"Uh…" Kagome hesitated. "I don't know that that's such a good idea."

"Why not?" he laughed. "It's a funny situation. And I'm curious. I can't really help myself."

"But…" Kagome struggled to find a good excuse. She really, REALLY, didn't want those two in the same room together. More for herself than anything. "Don't you think it would, maybe, get a little…tense?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, not picking up anything at all.

"Well, he's my current husband and you….well…"

Hojo laughed. "You're so silly sometimes, Kagome." He kissed her forehead. "It's not like he put a ring on your finger and you actually exchanged vows. It was a mix up of some kind."

"Well, yeah…" Kagome nodded. "That's true."

"So, I think we should meet." Hojo released her and set his book down on his bedside table. "Do me a favor and don't read too late. I have to get up early tomorrow."

"Sure…" Kagome sighed feeling somehow…unfulfilled.

Hojo chuckled as he laid down and turned off his lamp leaving only hers on and half the room covered in shadows. "Did you really think I would get jealous? You're silly, Kagome."

"Yeah." Kagome set her book down as well, somehow the whole 'love' idea had suddenly stopped interesting her.

XxXxXxX

"Ooh, this is so great." Sango laughed. "How are you going to handle this?"

"Simple." Kagome bit her lip. "Their not going to meet."

"Wow…" Sango looked at the files in her hands. "I wish my love life was half as interesting as yours."

"It's not as fun as it looks." Kagome glared. "Now can we get some work done?"

"Would this be classified as a love triangle?" Sango tilted her head curiously, talking to herself. "I don't think I've ever actually seen one, though I read about them all the time."

"I can fire you, you know." Kagome grumbled knowing her threat was falling on deaf ears.

"I wonder what Inuyasha will think when they meet?" Sango continued, oblivious.

"They are not going to meet!" Kagome stood and snatched the papers from Sango's hands.

"Jeez, don't get so grabby." Sango said. "I get the message, I get the message."

Kagome mumbled incoherently as she looked at the top file.

"Final estimates for the company retreat." Sango said.

"Didn't I already get those?" Kagome wracked her brain.

"You did, but there was a last minute issue." Sango shrugged.

"What last minute issue?" Kagome blinked down at the file underneath that one. "Are you kidding!"

"We're getting sued again!" Sango said much like someone would yell 'surprise' at a birthday party.

"What the hell!" Kagome opened it. "Another racism case! That's the third one this freaking sixth months!"

"Ooh, that was almost a curse." Sango laughed. "Check the name, check the name."

"Mitsuki Hato?" Kagome read. "That sounds kind of familiar."

"Uh-huh." Sango said eagerly.

Kagome gasped in realization. "That was the asshole who got us sued last time!"

"Bingo!" Sango laughed.

"A male bat demon." Kagome read. "Several derogatory remarks…blah, blah, blah. Good Kami! This is the same thing that happened last time!"

Sango was holding her gut from laughing so hard.

"What is so funny?" Kagome slammed the file shut. "This is serious."

"I know!" Sango cried in mirth. "But you weren't there!"

"What?" Kagome blinked.

"It was funny as hell." Sango gasped out. "I was right there, I needed from admissions and Mitsuki was there, ugly little dude he is. This bat demon guy comes up and asks me for some, can't remember what he wanted for the life of me now. But I told him Mitsuki could help and went back to my business. If I had known it was the same guy I never would have, but I did."

"Oh, Kami…" Kagome sighed unhappily.

"So he goes over, they talk for a while but I can't here them." Sango continued. "All of a sudden I hear this guy-"

"Mitsuki?" Kagome asked, curious despite herself.

"No the demon." Sango clarified. "He says really loud 'excuse me!'. And Mitsuki starts acting all high and mighty. And he said…well, I would really rather not repeat it." Sango shifted uncomfortably.

"That bad?" Kagome grimaced.

"It wasn't pretty." Sango flinched. "So I run over, having a heart attack the whole time, and start yelling at Mitsuki as this demon glared at him."

"Well, what happened?" Kagome asked, eager to know more.

"Did you know that when a bat demons lets out a supersonic pitch, you can't hear it but you can still go deaf?" Sango laughed. "Because Mitsuki knows now."

"He's deaf?" Kagome gasped, caught up in the story.

"Temporarily." Sango sighed in disappointment. "But it was so funny to watch. The demon, calm and cool as a cucumber reached over and covered my ears, I couldn't hear a thing, and he opened his mouth at Mitsuki. For a second, I was just confused, them Mitsuki started bleeding from his ears."

"Ow." Kagome flinched at the imagined pain of having an eardrum bust.

"Don't feel bad for him." Sango laughed. "He _really _disserved it."

XxXxXxX

"Work instead of a book?" Hojo asked as they drove down main street in his car. Kagome was beside him going over some files and figures.

Outside, the sky was darkening. Not because the sun was going down but because the dark, purple, bruise-like clouds overhead were covering the earth beneath them like a blanket. Even in the car, Kagome could smell the rain that was to come.

"We're being sued again." Kagome sighed not worried about telling Hojo company secrets. "Same guy as last time only worse this time."

"Pity." Hojo shook his head.

"That's a word for it." Kagome grumbled quietly. This idiot was going to cost her company millions because of his prejudices.

Hojo looked down in surprise as his check engine light came on. Almost at the same moment, the car started making a strange sound. He wasn't very good with cars but he was sure that upset-stomach was not the sound it should make.

"What's wrong with the car?" Kagome asked as she looked at the growls it made in surprise.

"Probably time for the yearly tune up." Hojo said as he pulled over to the side of the rode. It was better to err on the side of caution than risk completely ruining his engine.

Kagome smiled as he turned off the car and got out. Hojo knew nothing about cars so she knew what would happen. He would open the hood, look around knowingly, scratch his head, repeat, look around as if hoping something would happen while he wasn't watching and the engine would start working right again, then repeat. Only then would he grab his phone and call his mechanic for assistance.

She chuckled to herself at how cute he was sometimes and returned to her file.

Predictably, ten minutes later, Hojo got back inside and grabbed the phone from the cup holder.

"Couldn't fix it, honey?" Kagome smiled.

"I'm sure our man can get us." Hojo dialed his number and sat back.

Kagome started humming. It was strange, but at times like this, all felt right in her world. The man she loved was beside her, she was happily engaged, and, despite the car acting up, all was right in the world.

Tap, tap, tap.

Kagome looked at her window at the same time Hojo did and gasped.

"Afternoon." Inuyasha smiled at her through the window.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said in surprise. He backed up as she reached for her door handle and left the car.  
>"Hello, my darling wife." Inuyasha laughed. "What are you doing here?"<p>

Kagome smiled. She had been trying so hard to stay away from him for just this reason. Even now, just standing here looking at him, she felt as though all the nerve endings in her body had suddenly gone on high alert. He was dressed casually, simply, and so damn sexily.

"We were heading home." Kagome said and from behind her she heard Hojo's door open.

"Engine trouble?" Inuyasha asked looking.

Kagome turned her head as well and actually looked at the engine for the first time. A piece of it was smoking rather ominously.

"Uh, yeah." Kagome laughed sheepishly.

Inuyasha smiled. "Well, let me take a look."

They were normal enough words yet Kagome felt her body heat because she had the strangest feeling he wasn't referring to her engine.

"That's alright." Hojo said as he and Inuyasha went to the front. "I'll just get a hold of my man and he can fix it in no time. As Kagome feared this meeting would be, it was awkward. She watched them fearfully.

"Not to worry." Inuyasha took the phone from Hojo as if he owned it and turned it off. "I'm here, I'll even work for free. Seeing as it's for my pretty wife of course." He winked at Kagome and leaned over the engine.

"She's not actually your wife." Hojo said immediately as he eyed Inuyasha. "Kagome, sweetie, why don't you get in the car?"

And miss this train wreck? "That's okay, honey." Kagome smiled back at him.

"Legally she's my wife." Inuyasha said. "He's right, my wife, you would be safer in the car."

"I'm okay." Kagome said. She was sure referees were used in death matches.

Inuyasha was strangely possessive of her, she had thought it was a dog demon thing. Hojo, the one who actually possessed her, though she hated thinking along those terms, had picked up on it. She had always thought Hojo wasn't the jealous type but that didn't stop the instant hostility between them.

"She's my wife in every way that counts." Hojo said wishing he could do more than stare at the lump of metal that was his engine. Something that was too complex for him to understand but quite easily conquered by this demon. This demon that had a claim on Hojo's wife.

"Except legally." Inuyasha said again. Which, also, was the only way that counted.

"So, what's the problem, Inuyasha?" Kagome jumped in before anything too terrible could happen. She leaned over slightly as well, looking into the engine.

"Nothing too bad." Inuyasha said. "But it's going to rain here in a second. Why don't you two come on up to my place."

Though he referred to both of them, his eyes only went to Kagome.

"Can't you just fix it?" Hojo grumbled.

"Not without my tools." Inuyasha straightened along with Kagome whose eyes were locked on his. He shut the hood abruptly making Hojo jump back, probably because his hand was in the way.

"And I prefer not to work in the rain." Inuyasha said. "I don't think the storm will last long. You're welcome up."

Instinct warned Kagome not to do it. She might as well have walked into a lion's den with a slab of beef around her neck.

At the same time, those golden eyes compelled her in a way no others had.

"I have a present for you." He said sweetly. "I want to give it to you."

"A present?" Kagome blinked in surprise. "What present?"

"It's a surprise." Inuyasha winked. "Come on." He put his arm around her shoulders in a move that was both possessive and strictly platonic. Hojo couldn't complain and he had no choice but to follow as Inuyasha led Kagome inside.

He climbed into the elevator of the high rise, all the while talking to Kagome. He loved her scent, it was so intoxicating. It was implemented deep within his brain. He would know that smell anywhere he was. He could even smell it in his dreams. It permeated his whole being. He couldn't wait to get her into his house where everything she touched would bear her scent.

Actually, he couldn't wait to get her in his bed to not only allow her scent to wrap around him but put his on her, in her. It wouldn't happen now of course, not with that little puppy following them upstairs but soon…soon…

"So why did you get me a present?" Kagome asked. As the numbers of the floors ticked up on the display above the doors.

"It's a really special occasion." he said happily. He looked…elated. "I wasn't even planning on giving it to you but since I ran into I guess it's…" he paused and smiled seductively at her, "destiny."

"We won't bother you long." Hojo said forcing his way between them and glaring at Inuyasha. "We'll just call a cab and be going."

"Nonsense, you're like family." Inuyasha's smile turned dark. Hojo grimaced not liking hearing the very words he had said only a few days prior.

Kagome looked between the two of them. The testosterone was so thick she could probably cut it with a knife. Part of her, the sensible part, screamed at her to intervene. This was no way for two modern males to be behaving.

But a deeper, primal part of her was excited. This was what she wanted. A competition over her, two men at odds on who she belonged to, who she would mate with. It was everything the romantic in her, the romantic that was just now gaining a voice, wanted.

"This is my floor." Inuyasha said just before the elevator stopped and the familiar whooping sensation, along with an entirely new one, filled Kagome's belly.

Her romantic, this new fluffy headed being inside her, reminded her she was married and she be feeling that this was okay. At the same time, it squealed in delight. Her romantic was terribly contradicting. It loved both her steady future husband, and the mistaken current husband.

She followed them, confused by the alternating romantic and sensible sides that warred within her.

"Oh, I forgot to lock the car." Hojo said suddenly right as they stopped in front of a door. "Come on, Kagome. We'll go back down and-"

"Nonsense." Inuyasha said. "You go lock the car. It'll give me a chance to give her her gift."

Hojo glared at Inuyasha's careless smile, an internal battle within him just as strong as Kagome. The need to protect the woman he loved from this demon and his practical side warning him of the dangers of an unlocked car.

Practicality one.

"I'll be right back." he said to Kagome though the warning to Inuyasha couldn't have been more clear.

Inuyasha didn't wait for Hojo to make it back to the elevator before he was unlocking his door and ushering Kagome in. "Make yourself at home, my love. I'll go get your gift."

"Thanks." Kagome said. It should really bother her more that he had called her 'my love' but it didn't. It kind of made her warm inside. Which of course was followed by a rush of steaming hot guilt.

To keep her mind off the man, she looked around his apartment.

It was clearly masculine. There were no flowers or fripperies. It was done in dark woods and forest green. It made her feel very much like she was standing in a forest. There were pictures on the wall. A smiling couple, his parents she deduced from how much he resembled the male.

The biggest picture he had was of their wedding day. The male looked dashing in a tuxedo and the woman looked dazzling in a long white gown. The style was outdated so it was from some years ago but the happiness on their faces was timelessly beautiful.

"My parents."

Kagome turned at Inuyasha's voice. He was walking toward her, his hands behind his back. "Your parents?"

"They got married 25 years ago." he said. Then smiled at her. "Just like we did."

Kagome laughed at the joke and turned back to the large picture. "They look happy."

"They were." Inuyasha smiled at it. It was his favorite picture for more ways than one. "Dad used to tell me that everyday it was like falling in love all over again."

"You were three when they married?" Kagome asked.

"Four." he said. "See, that's me right there." He pointed to the end of the line of best men where a very young, very cute Inuyasha stood. He wasn't looking at his parents, instead he was looking into the audience, like he was staring at someone.

"What are you looking at so hard?" Kagome asked with a laugh.

"There was a cute girl in the audience." Inuyasha laughed. "But enough about that. Shouldn't we be talking about our wedding?"

"_Our _wedding?" Kagome repeated. "Our fake wedding, you mean."

Inuyasha made a non-committal grunt and shrugged. "Anyway. Happy anniversary." He brought his hands out from behind his back.


	6. A Cupcake

**Disclaimer: If I did own Inuyasha, do you think I'd be writing fanfiction?**

Oh, the twists my mind takes, muhahaha! BTW, kind of a short chapter. Deal with it :)

**A Cupcake**

"A cupcake?" Kagome laughed looking at the small thing, seemingly even smaller in his large hands.

"Yeah. Everyone loves cupcakes." Inuyasha grinned.

"Well, thank you." Kagome took it and looked it over. "Is that chocolate?"

"No. Red velvet." Inuyasha smirked, like he was a part of a joke Kagome wasn't.

"It's kind of…fancy." Kagome turned it around in her hand.

It was obvious now that he said it that the cake was red velvet. It sat in a white and silver wrapping, as if for some kind of celebration. The icing on top was plain white but expertly done.

"How did you know I liked red velvet?" she asked.

"Red velvet happens to be my favorite." he winked at her.

Kagome laughed then froze.

Stupid, stupid, STUPID! You're flirting again! Stop it!

"Thank you." she said, taking a careful step back. "It's very…thoughtful, I guess."

"Well, it was either that or this _gorgeous_ diamond necklace." Inuyasha said making her laugh. "But I can see you already have one."

Kagome reached up and touched the diamond Hojo had gotten her. "It's another anniversary gift."

"Cheating on me already." Inuyasha gave a dramatic sigh.

"Like you haven't cheated on me in the last 25 years?" Kagome asked, letting herself be pulled into his game.

"Well, maybe a couple times." Inuyasha smirked. "But I'm sure you'll forgive me. Want some milk with that?"

Kagome laughed again. "If you're offering."

"Be right back. Make yourself at home, my dearest wife." he blew her an air kiss that made her laugh, as it was obviously intended to, before he disappeared into the kitchen.

Kagome, her cupcake cradled in her hands, looked around without shame. She wasn't all that surprised to see the giant flat screen TV or the game station beneath it. The latter of which was a bit dusty so it hadn't been used in a while.

She sat down on his on his leather sofa which was extremely comfortable and leaned back to start peeling away her cupcake paper.

That was when she saw it.

Kagome saw the flash of ugly orangish-yellow from the corner of her eye and turned to the end table that held a lap and…

Kagome set the cupcake down on the coffee table and picked up the all too familiar manila envelope.

"Milk, nice and cold for my lady." Inuyasha said coming back in, a smile on his face.

"What is this?" Kagome asked, her expression hard as she held up the dusty, obviously untouched divorce decree.

"Uh…" Inuyasha hesitated as a flash of panic shot through his eyes when he saw what was in her hands.

"What. Is. This?" Kagome repeated as she stood up slowly.

"Well, that…um…" Clearly unprepared for her finding it, Inuyasha fumbled.

"You said you were going to have your lawyer look these over." Kagome growled as fury made her hands shake. "You said you would sign them and hand them back! Why are they here collecting dust?"

"Kagome-"

"Save it!" Kagome threw the papers down. "I was going to be nice about this and keep it between us but if you don't get those signed and sent to me immediately I will haul your ass to court!"

"Kagome, listen." Inuyasha set the glass down and held up his hands in what he thought was a placating matter.

But Kagome was in no mood to be settled.

"You lied!" She cried and pushed the papers hard into his chest making him grab onto them. "You _lied_!"

"Kagome, wait!"

But Kagome had already turned and stormed out of his apartment.

"Kagome!"

She shut the door on his cry just as the elevator opened and Hojo stepped out, looking unhappy until he saw her. Then it faded to concern. "Kagome, what-"

"Get in the elevator!" Kagome said as she stormed in and pressed the button for the ground floor and the close door buttons at the same time.

"What happened?" Hojo asked as the elevator started its slow decent. "I thought you liked Inuyasha."

"He's a liar!" Kagome said as she crossed her arms across her chest. She was big enough to admit that that wasn't all. When she had seen those papers, his signature still not there, she had felt a strange swoop in her stomach. It had made her _happy_ that he hadn't signed them. That had only increased her rage, this time at herself.

"Did that demon do something?" Hojo asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"No." Kagome snapped. "That's just the problem! He didn't sign those papers or send them to his lawyer. He lied to me!"

"Damn." Hojo shook his head. "Demons. You can't trust any of them."

Kagome, in the middle of her anger, took a minute to realize what he said.

"W-what?" she turned to him as the elevator stopped.

"Demons." Hojo rolled his eyes. He took Kagome's arm and led her from the building. "You can't trust one of them. Worthless beasts is all they are. Kagome?"

She had frozen in the middle of the lobby of the building, staring at Hojo as if he had grown a second head.

"Hojo, what did you just say?" Kagome asked feeling very much like someone had just punched her in the stomach.

"What? Honey, what's wrong?" he reached out to touch her but she flinched away from him. "Kagome? What's the matter?"

Kagome blinked at him, unsure of what to say. There was no way her kind, sweet, understanding Hojo was…was…

"Hojo, are you…racists?" she asked, her tongue feeling numb just saying the word so that she almost just mouthed it.

"Kagome." he smiled almost condescendingly at her. "They're not the same as us. They're beneath us. They don't deserve the same treatment as us."

Kagome knew she was breathing, she could feel her chest heaving, but somehow she just couldn't get any oxygen in her lungs.

There was no way!

Hojo, the peace loving, open minded, sweet talking Hojo was…

"Please tell me you're kidding." Kagome begged. This was a nightmare, right? Above her, she heard thunder from the thunderstorm clash in the sky, almost like it was echoing her inner turmoil.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" he asked reaching for her and pushing some stray hair behind her ear. "It's okay, sweetie. I don't blame you for marrying one of _their_ kind. It was a mistake, an accident."

Kagome wanted to throw up, she was sure she would if he kept touching her.

"Don't worry. We'll go home and I'll make you some nice, hot tea. That will calm you down, huh?"

"I don't want to be-Stop touching me!" She slapped his hands away and he jerked back, hurt welling up in his eyes.

"Kagome? What's with you?"

"What's with _me_? What's with _you_! How can you be a…a…Ugh!" she turned away unable to say it.

"Oh, honey." the tone he used made her think he thought she was a child who didn't understand a simple concept. "I know you have such a kind heart, but they're not like us. They're second class citizens. Animals, at best."

"You love and respect animals!" Kagome cried out in frustration.

"But you don't let them vote." Hojo laughed. "You don't give them equal rights. And that's all demons are, honey. Just animals."

"Don't you dare talk to me like that!" Kagome growled at him, tears welling up in her eyes. She felt strangely like she had been betrayed, as if Hojo had driven a knife between her shoulder blades. "Don't you ever talk to me again, as a matter of fact!"

"Kagome?" he looked at her worriedly.

Kagome jerked the ring off her hand and threw it at his feet. "I'm through with you Hojo!"

"Wait, Kagome! It's raining!"

Kagome didn't care as she stormed out of the building.

XxXxXxX

She was grateful to the rain, it masked her tears as they both streamed freely down her face.

Kagome had no idea where she was. She had run until she couldn't anymore, the jumped in a taxi and told him to take her as far from that place as she could afford. When he had finally stopped, she had walked until she had found this old park.

It was well tended but empty now that rain was pouring down perfectly perpendicular to the ground.

With nothing else to do, she had walked inside it and sat on a pretty pink swing that was just high enough for her toes to touch the ground when she sat down.

That's where she sat for the rest of the day. Despite Inuyasha's prediction that the storm would be quick, it didn't let up a bit as the day wore on.

How could they do this to her?

Both of them had betrayed her. Inuyasha had outright lied, knew she loved Hojo, and shamelessly pursued her anyway.

And Hojo…

Her tears increased as she thought of him.

No. It couldn't be true.

Her mother had always taught her that people were equal. She said that it wasn't the outside, it was the inside. If you had the brains to do it, you could do it be you white, human, black, scaled, or twelve feet tall and all the variations in between.

And the man she had been about to marry, the man she had almost sworn to love until the day she died….

He…

…

Kagome tilted her head back and let the rain wash her tears away.

How could this be? This couldn't be…

"Oh, Kami…" she said as she let her head fall back against her chest and her wet hair cover her face like a curtain.

"Kagome!"

Kagome's head shot up and she looked in surprise as an umbrella covered her head and the sound of rain on plastic filled her ears.

"Inuyasha?"

He kneeled slightly so he was at eye level with her.

"Hojo said you ran out of the building, he said you were upset." he reached and rubbed away a fresh tear from under her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"How did you find me?" she asked breathlessly.

"It wasn't easy." Inuyasha smiled without humor, his eyes held nothing but worry. Worry for her. "But I can always smell you if I look, Kagome. Especially now that your scent is so engrained in my mind."

"That doesn't make any sense." Kagome sniffed pitifully.

"What happened?" he asked, ignoring her unstated question. "Did I do this? 'cause if I did I'll sign those papers. They aren't worth your sadness."

Kagome sniffed again and moaned in pain. "Why are you being nice to me?"

"Because I love you."

Kagome cried out and jumped forward, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Uh, Kagome?"

"Just let me. Please. I need…I need…"

"It's okay." He wrapped his arm around her waist and let her burrow into his neck. "I'm here. I'll always be here."

He didn't know how long he sat there, in that awkward position, holding her. At some point, his leg muscles started protesting but he ignored them. He just held her, let her cry herself out.

Inuyasha hadn't ever intended to sign those papers, not once had the thought crossed his mind. But he vowed to do it the second he got back. He didn't think it would have bothered her this much.

"He called you an animal."

"What?" Inuyasha was jerked from his mental self-flogging to look at her in surprise.

"Hojo." she said, resting her chin on his shoulder so she was looking out into the rain that had calmed down with her mood. "He called you an animal. He said demons were second class citizens."

"He what?" Inuyasha blinked in surprise. Racism didn't surprise him. But from good old fashioned…

No, it actually wasn't that surprising.

"I threw the ring at him." Kagome sniffled. "I told him never to speak to me again."

Inuyasha hesitated. "Do you regret it?"

"No." Kagome chuckled humorlessly. "I don't date racist bigots. I don't marry them either."

Inuyasha smiled. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" she leaned back and looked at him. "I thought this would make you happy. You didn't sign the papers after all"

"I'm sorry for you. Not for me." he corrected with a smirk. "Come on. I'll take you back to your place. We can rip all of the picture you two took together and break his stuff. Doesn't that sound fun?"

Kagome laughed, it felt strange after crying for so long. "Maybe later."

"Well, then what should we do now?"

Kagome smiled. "I want to go home. I want to see my mother."


	7. Home

I know it's such a short chapter after such a long time but more will come soon, I promise.

**Home**

Home is a place of comfort. It's a place of safety and security and all the love you could ever want. It's the place you go when you need to hide from the world. It can be a place or a thing or a person. But you always know what 'home' is.

For Kagome, Home was a rather small house on the edge of a shrine at the top of a bunch of stairs. Home was the too fat cat and the grandfather who smelled like herbs and dust. Home was the short haired, pixie faced woman who always had open arms and an open heart.

Home, sweet home.

Her mother had asked no questions, she had given no conditions, she had seen Kagome, soaked and sad on her doorstep, and took her in.

One hot bath later, Kagome was sitting on her family couch watching her grandfather and Inuyasha talk about, of all things, spiritual powers.

"Here, dear." her mother said giving her a nice hot cup of tea.

"Thanks, mom." Kagome said as she took it with a smile.

"Inuyasha, are you sure you don't want something?" she asked him.

"I'm fine. Thank you." he smiled at her charmingly.

"If your sure." she smiled back.

"Are you sure I can stay?" he asked politely. "I don't mind leaving."

"Oh, no." she shook her head. "It's raining outside, and besides you brought Kagome here. I insist you both stay for dinner."

"Thank you." he said in place of an agreement.

"Kagome? Want to help me in the kitchen, dear?' she asked.

"Sure, mama." Kagome stood and followed the older woman into the well used kitchen. She looked around, this was where she and Hojo had told her they were getting married.

She had been so excited.

"I was thinking some nice hot pot for dinner." she said as she opened the refridgerator. "Something nice on this cold day."

"I'm not getting married."

Ms. Higurashi stood and looked at her daughter who was crying, looking into her tea cup. She didn't say a word.

"Hojo...he...he said some things..." Kagome wasn't sure how to say it. "He's...racist, mama."

"Oh, my." Ms. Higurashi shut the door and went to hold her daughter. "Well, there had to be _something_ wrong with him. No one is perfect."

"Yeah, something like he snores or he drinks from the milk carton." Kagome sighed. "Why, of all things, racist?"

"Oh, baby." she pet her daughters back as she held her. "Some people are just...raised differently than we are. You pity them, honey. And pray for them."

"Or throw their rings back and call the wedding off." Kagome said quickly like she was ripping off a bandage. She was sure her mom had been more excited about the wedding than she had been.

"Aye, that too." she laughed. "Then rebound on handsome dog demons, I see."

"Actually, that's a funny story." Kagome leaned back. "Would you believe me if I told you today was our 25th anniversary?"

A while later, Ms. Higurashi was laughing. "My, what a tale."

"Isn't it?" Inuyasha asked as he came in. "I thought I'd see if you needed some help but if you're just gossiping..."

"Hello, dear." she smiled at him. "Why don't you set the table?"

"Mama, he's a guest." Kagome said surprised.

"Technically, he's my son in law." she laughed. "And he's quite handsome, too. Just like his father."

"Yeah, he-wait! What?" Kagome looked at her confused. "How do you know what his father looks like?"

"Don't you remember, dear?" her mother asked.

"No." Kagome shook her head. "When did you meet his father?"

"Oh, about 26 years ago, I imagine." the elder Higurashi shrugged. "I have a picture of him and his wife in one of the photo albums. I'll never forget that head of hair. And you two? I've never seen two kids so inseperable."

Inuyasha laughed but Kagome was doing a credible imitation of a fish out of water. "What?"

"I can't believe you don't remember. Hold on." she left the kitchen and Kagome heard her return to her room.

"What was she talking about?" Kagome asked Inuyasha but he just shook his head and started looking for plates.

Ms. Higurashi returned a moment later, an old photo album in her hands. "It's just about, ah, here it is."

She held out the book and Kagome took it and gazed in surprised at an exact copy of the photo she had seen on Inuyasha's wall. "How did you..."

"I catered his wedding, of course." she smiled. "I used to be a caterer, remember? Oh, your parents were such nice people." she said to Inuyasha. "I was so sorry to hear about their deaths."

"So was I." Inuyasha smiled to show he wasn't sad as he went to Kagome's side and looked at the photo. "Hey, look at that."

"There's a few more, after that." Ms. Higurashi said as she returned to preparing hot pot.

Kagome turned the page without comment and saw a large, three tiered wedding cake with the happy couple holding up the first slice. "Is that..."

"Red velvet." Inuyasha smiled.

Opposite that was a picture of little Inuyasha next to, what looked like, a miniature version of their father.

"Hey, that's Sesshomaru." Inuyasha laughed. "I think that was the last time we ever said two words to each other."

"I remember him." Kagome's mother said. "Such a...stoic little boy."

"Don't be nice." Inuyasha said. "He was creepy, admit it."

Kagome turned the page and felt the air drain from her.

"Hey! I have that one, too." Inuyasha laughed.

It was Kagome, a younger, three year old Kagome, dressed in her nicest blue dress, holding hands with little Inuyasha as they smiled at the camera.

"She was always coming with me to the weddings I catered." Ms. Higurashi said guessing what photo they were on. "Loved weddings, she did. Used to say she couldn't wait to have her own." She frowned in thought. "You know, it's funny. She never said it after that day."

Kagome took the photo from the album and turned it around. In her mother's percise handwriting was todays date, 25 years prior.

"Oh, my god." she whispered.

"Happy Anniversary." Inuyasha said into her ear before returning to the task Ms. Higurashi had set for him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dinner was a quiet afair, Kagome too stunned to even speak.

That day. It had to have been that day!

Kagome and Inuyasha, children, on his parent's wedding day, had managed to get legally married.

How in the name of all things good had _that _happened!

The rain stopped, Inuyasha said good bye and went home, and Kagome went to her childhood bedroom and laid down.

Shocked.

She was so _sure_ she had never met him before. So completely sure. But there it was! Photographic evidence that proved her wrong.

She _had _met Inuyasha before.

Something happened 25 years ago that made Kagome and Inuyasha legally husband and wife.

And Inuyasha knew it!

He hadn't been surprised when he saw the photos! Judging by the dust on it, he hadn't even _looked _at the divorce decree but he knew their anniversary. The red velvet cupcake! Had he been sending her a message?

Tired, cranky, and a bit stressed from her emotional rollercoster of the day, Kagome was tempted to just sit there and let it all go away.

But, her romantic, that newly awaked evil thing that it was, and her reasonable, that old, familiar and reliable thing that it was, both disagreed. She needed answers, damn it! From someone! And she was going to get them!

Suddenly Kagome felt very much like she just downed a shot of caffine.

She jumped from her bed and walked purposefully downstairs. Her mother and grandfather, already asleep, didn't notice as she put on her shoes and walked into the night.

One cab ride and elevator lift later, Kagome was knocking purposefully on Inuyasha's door.

A minute later, it opened and Kagome, her mouth already open ready to demand her answers, damn it!, froze.

He had obviously been in bed. His loose fitting pajama bottoms and messed up hair were evidence of that. He wore nothing else, not even slippers, besides a silver chain around his neck ending in a tiny, pink, plast circle.

"Well, hello." he smiled sleepily at her. "What can I do for you, my lovely wife?"

The word 'wife' jolted Kagome from chastising her labido, yet _again_ for thinking bad things. "I want answers!" she said as strong as she could. "You know something Inuyasha Takahashi and you are going to tell me!"

"Okay." he said throwing Kagome off her stride.

She had been sure he was going to say no or dither or something. He had kept it secret from her all this time, after all.

"Okay?" she repeated. "Just like that?"

He chuckled and smirked as he reached up and rolled a strand of her hair between his fingers. "All you ever had to do was ask, my precious."

"Stop that." Kagome said knocking his hand aside because she was sure if he kept touching her she wouldn't want him to stop.

She pushed her way into his apartment and he let her pass with a smile. He watched as she walked to his sofa, sat down purposefully, and looked forward with complete determination.

A business woman ready to tackle whatever problem came her way.

He laughed and shut the door, locked it, then went to sit on his armchair. "All right, my love. What do you want to know?"

"Stop that!" Kagome said again. "I am not your 'love' so stop it. Now you tell me everything you know."

Inuyasha chuckled. "Oh, gee. Where to start?" he asked rhetorically.

"The beginning will be fine." she said.

"Alright, alright." He held up his hands as if she was holding a gun on him. "Let me think...Well, it was 25 years ago. My parents had been having an affair for a while, with me being the result of it, and had decided to finally tie the knot."

He paused and adjusted himself more comfortable as he thought back.

"It was right before the wedding, your mom and you were invited of course. And we had just met outside the church..."


	8. 25 Years Ago

****It's more than likely still impossible but I tried to make it as believable as possible..

**25 Years Ago...**

Kagome hummed to herself as she picked the bright, white flowers at her feet. She was wearing her favorite blue dress, the same one she wore to all her mommy's weddings. The wedding itself hadn't taken place yet, so people were still milling about outside and inside the church. Talking, chatting, laughing and reminiscing about their own weddings.

Kagome, being three, wasn't really welcome in such adult conversations. So, instead, she had decided to come make a little makeshift bouquet as a present for the bride.

"What you doing?"

She turned around and blinked at the boy who had come up to her. He had bright silver hair and dog ears on his head and pretty yellow eyes.

"I'm making a bouquet." she said holding up her flowers. "For the bride."

"My ma?" he asked.

"No, the bride." Kagome corrected.

"Right, my ma." the boy nodded.

"Your ma's the bride?" Kagome stood up, she was about the same height as the boy. He might have been a bit taller but Kagome would never admit it. She was the tallest in the class and proud of it!

"Yeah." He tilted his head and looked at her. "You smell nice."

"Thank you." Kagome smiled and pulled a flower from her bouquet. "Want it?"

"Boys don't like flowers." he said as if repeating something he had heard a hundred times before.

"Oh, okay." Kagome frowned then blinked as he took it from her.

"But just this once, okay?" he said as he slipped it into the front pocket of his tiny tuxedo.

She beamed. "My name's Kagome. What's yours?"

"Inuyasha." he said.

"Well, now we're friends." Kagome smiled. "So, new friend. Help me pick flowers for the bouquet."

"Boys don't like flowers." he said. "But just this once, okay?"

Kagome nodded and returned to sitting in the grass, staining her white painty-hose as she picked more daisies.

"Why those flowers?" Inuyasha asked as he sat next to her.

"That's a'cause I like white flowers." Kagome said. "I really like those up there." She pointed and he looked to some big petaled, white flowers that had blossomed all over a rather tall tree. "But I can't reach them."

"Those ones, huh?" he stood and went to the base up the tree. "They smell nice."

"I wanted to climb the tree and get them." Kagome said from her position on the grass. "But mommy said no. She said I'd fall and hurt myself."

Inuyasha blinked at her curiously. "I'll get them."

"Kids arent supposed to climb trees." Kagome stood up and walked over to him. "Mommy said."

Inuyasha scoffed. "Well, your mommy's not here, is she?"

"Yeah, she's inside." Kagome said pointing to the open door of the church.

"But she's not here." Inuyasha stressed. "I'll get em. You watch."

With that, he jumped straight up and landed on the lowest branch.

"Wow!" Kagome laughed in amazement. "How did you do that?"

"I'm a half demon." Inuyasha said, puffing his chest out with pride.

With that, he crawled to the end of the branch and plucked a big white flower. "Here it comes."

Kagome dropped her daisies and ran forward to catch the flower as it fell.

They repeated the process until Kagome's arms were full of flowers.

She laughed happily as Inuyasha dropped down beside her, his face smudged but his smile proud.

"Thanks, Inuyasha." she laughed.

"Nothing to it." he said carelessly, putting his tiny hands on his hips.

"Inuyasha!"

They looked over to see an old man wearing a matching tux exiting the church.

"Hey, Myoga." Inuyasha waved.

"Where have you been?" he said. "The ceremony is about to start, get inside. Come on, come on."

"Let's go." he told Kagome. "You can stand up with me at the front."

"Wow, really?" Kagome asked her eyes wide, as they walked back inside. "I never get to stand up front. You're so cool, Inuyasha!"

"I know." he laughed boisterously as they climbed the steps inside and started walking down the isle together.

However, when Kagome stood next to Inuyasha, an older boy that looked almost exactly like him said in a condescending voice, "You're not aloud up here, girl."

"Huh, me?" Kagome blinked in confusion. "But Inuyasha said I could."

"Yeah, Sesshomaru, leave her alone!" Inuyasha growled at his elder brother.

"This is for father's groomsmen, she's not a man. And she's not even related to father." he told them coldly. "Tell her to move elsewhere."

Kagome had just opened her mouth to say that she was going to stand anywhere she wanted, thank you very much!, when she heard, "Kagome, there you are."

She looked over and saw her mom coming towards her. "What are you doing up here, sweetheart. This is for the groomsmen."

"See?" Sesshomaru said, smirking at his younger brother.

"And where did you get those flowers?" she continued. "Kagome, did you climb that tree? I told you not to."

"I didn't climb it, mama." Kagome smiled. "Inuyasha did."

"Oh, hello, dear." Mama Higurashi nodded at him. "Come on, let's go sit down."

She pulled her daughter away by the arm but Kagome kept her head turned, her eyes on Inuyasha. When her mama picked a row, she sat at the end, nearest the isle, so she could keep him in her sights.  
>He waved at her, she waved back, dropping some of her flowers in the process.<p>

The ceremony started but even after Izayoi, an angel in white, had come down the isle and stood at the front with her soon-to-be husband, Inuyasha and Kagome never looked away from each other.

A descrete photographer came up and took a quick snapshot before the preacher started his words than backed off silently.

Halfway through the ceremony, Inuyasha suddenly beamed, one tooth missing, then he was gone.

Kagome looked around but couldn't see him, she saw Sesshomaru roll his eyes. After a few minutes, he was back, smiling and looking pleased with himself.

It wasn't until after the ceremony that Kagome was able to jump up from her seat, her flowers forgotten, and cought up with him outside the church.

"Where'd you go?" she asked as well wishers descended on the new couple.

"I went and got this!" Inuyasha pulled a piece of paper, folded up, from inside his jacket.

"What's that?" Kagome asked.

"Mom and Pop signed this at their lawyers office yesterday." he said, unfolding it. "Well, they signed one like it. But Mom accidentally signed in the wrong spot and so they had to get a different one. So I snagged this one."

"Why?" Kagome asked as she took it from him and unfolded it.

"I don't know." he shrugged. "The top of it was shiney."

The words 'Marriage Certificate' were in delicate gold leaf across the top, what had obviously attracted his eye.

"Why are you showing me this?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha blushed a little. "Well, papa said that when I find a girl who I think smells really good, I should ask her to be my mate."

"Mate?" Kagome blinked at the term.

Inuyasha nodded. "He said I'll know it when I smell it. It wont smell just nice or good but they'll smell like heaven. Like I could smell her forever and never get tired of the scent."

"You think I smell that good?" Kagome asked, blushing as well.

Inuyasha nodded. "I really, really like your smell Kagome. So, will you be my mate?"

"What's a mate?" she asked. Her mother specialized in catering human weddings, not demon ones. So it wasn't a familiar word.

"It's what my ma is to my pa." Inuyasha said.

"Oh, you mean will I be your wife?" Kagome asked. "Really? You mean it?" Kagome had always dreamed of her wedding day. Her mother always told her, when Kagome asked when she'd have hers, that it would be 'a long way down the road, honey'. But if she married Inuyasha, she would be cooler _and_ taller than all the kids in her class. Plus, Inuyasha was already such a nice friend, he would probably be a good husband too.

"Alright." Kagome beamed at him. "How do we do it?"

"Well, I read that thing." he pointed at it with one claw. "All we need to do is sign it, have one parent sign it, have two witnesses sign it, then file it!"

"Aw! So much..." Kagome frowned. "Mama will never let me get married. And I don't think your mama will either."

Inuyasha winked. "She don't have to know. Look, she already signed it." He pointed at her signiture, signed under 'groom parental consent'. "So, all we have to do is get two witnesses and one of your parents."

"Mama will never go for it." Kagome sighed in defeat.

"Then what about your dad?" Inuyasha asked.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Daddy drinks beer all the time. He probably wouldn't remember signing it or even read what it was."

"Perfect!" Inuyasha laughed. "Let's go! Where is he?"

Kagome blinked in confusion. "Mama said he's sleeping it off in the car, whatever 'it' is."

"Then come on." Inuyasha tugged on her hand and they ran together to the parking lot of the little chruch. "We gotta hurry before the adults try to leave. Which one is your car?"

She pointed and they ran towards it, Kagome laughing all the way.

When they got there, Inuyasha knocked on the passenger door.

No answer.

So he knocked.

And knocked.

And knocked.

And kn-

"What!"

They jumped back as Mr. Higurashi opened the door. Inuyasha's nose crinkled in displeasure at the smell of alcohol cming from the man.

"Daddy." Kagome came forward, smiling. "Can you sign this permission slip?"

"Go talk to your mother." he slurred.

"But mama's busy." Kagome said, not even lieing. "Please. It'll only take a second. Just sign right here."

"Fine, fine!" the drunk rumaged in the car for a minute before coming up with a pen. "Where?" he looked and tried to focus on the paper but the beer was making everything kind of swirly and doubled over.

"Right here." Kagome put the paper on the door and let him scratch out an almost illegable signiture.

"Thanks daddy." She said taking the pen and paper back. "Have a nice nap!"

Giggling, the two kids ran back towards the church.

"Now who are we gonna get to witness?" Kagome asked, laughing at the excitement at doing something a little naughty.

"I got an idea." he took the pen and paper from her. "Meet me under the tree in a minute."

"'K!" Kagome said as he ran forward, his demon powers making him faster, as he followed the familiar smell of his own half brother.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha called out as he found him, standing outside the circle of well wishers for his parents. "Sesshomaru, sign this!"

"No." Sesshomaru said, not even looking at it.

"Come on!" the kid grumbled. "It'll take, like, half a second."

"You're annoying me, go away." Sesshomaru dismissed him.

Inuyasha paused then smiled wickedly. "Sesshomaru, if you sign this and don't tell ma or pops, I promise I'll never speak to you again."

"...Give me that pen." Sesshomaru took it.

A minute later, Inuyasha ran back to the tree, holding up the paper in victory. "I got one, Kagome!"

"Yay!" the child laughed and clapped. "One more then we can sign it. Who else?"

"I got another idea. Come here." Inuyasha walked over to the crowd as he folded the piece of paper back so the words marriage certificate who hidden and the only thing visible were the three signitures.

"Excuse me, ma'am." he pulled on the dress of an elderly lady who, though he didn't know it, refused to wear the glasses she so desperately needed.

"What? Who'se there?" she bent dow and squinted at his face. "Little Inuyasha, is that you?"

"Yes, ma'am." Inuyasha said sweetly. "Me and my friend," he pointed over his shoulder at Kagome who was watching with a smile, "we're collecting signitures and we were wondering if you would sign this right here?" He held up the pen.

"Oh, sure, dear. How cute." the old lady pinched his cheek and he resisted the urge to growl at her. "Of course I'll sign." She added her name to the witness line with a flourish and Inuyasha thanked her before returning to Kagome. "Got the last one."

"Inuyasha!" he heard his mom calling.

"Oh, man." Inuyasha panicked. He grabbed Kagome and picked her up before running inside the, now empty, church.

"Wow." Kagome said as he put her back down. "You're strong! And FAST!"

"Keh, I know." he said, looking smug. "Now come on, we gotta sign this."

Kagome took the pen and bit her tongue in concentration as she tried to sign it in her best joined up writing.

Inuyasha did the same, though his was messier than hers.  
>"<p>

There! Now we're married." he laughed.

"What about the rings?" Kagome asked remembering that the rings were always an important part of the ceremony.

"Oh, man!" Inuyasha looked around as if half expecting to find a pair of wedding bands laying on the floor.

"Here." Kagome reached into her pocket and pulled out a pink plastic butterfly ring she had got from the cupcake she had eaten yesterday in class. She explained it to him as she held it out to him. "My ring to you."

Inuyasha took it saying, "Boys don't like butterflies."

"So break the butterfly off." Kagome said.

Inuyasha nodded and snapped the plastic insect off leaving only a small pink circle.

"Boys don't really like pink though." Kagome said, worried he would't like it.

"Yeah." Inuyasha agreed. "But just this once, okay?"

Kagome laughed.

"What about you?" he asked. "I don't have any cupcake rings."

"Um..." Kagome bit her lip, thinking.

"Well, here." he held out the butterfly end. "It's not a ring but it came off the ring so same thing, right?"

Kagome giggled as she let him place it in her palm.

"I'll get you a real ring when we grow up, okay." he explained hoping she would take it.

"Okay." Kagome leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Now we're married."

He nodded enthusiastically just as Mrs. Higurashi and Izayoi came into the building.

"There you two are." Izayoi laughed. "We've been looking for you. Come on, it's time to go. It's time for the party."

"Can Kagome come?" Inuyasha asked not certain she would be able to since she hadn't been aloud to stand up front with him.

"Of course." Mrs. Higurashi said. "Do you like Kagome?"

"Uh-huh!" Inuyasha nodded as he took her hand. "She's my favorite!"

Kagome laughed as the photographer came inside, following the bride.

"Oh, isn't that cute?" he said as he took a quick shot of them together.

"Come on." Mrs. Higurashi held out her hand, "There's red velvet cake at the party."

"What's that?" Inuyasha asked as Kagome.

"It's my favorite cake." she said to him. "You'll love it, come on!" She laughed as she pulled him outside, their certificate laying forgotten on the floor.

**25 years later...**

"Wait, that's it?" Kagome asked. She had long ago curled her legs under her body and made herself comfortable on Inuyasha's couch as he spoke. But he had fallen silent. "We just left the thing on the church floor?"

"Yeah." Inuyasha nodded. "I didn't think it took. That's why I was a bit surprised when you came after me singing for a divorce."

"So you never filed it?" Kagome asked trying to get her facts straight.

"No." Inuyasha shook his head. "I kind of forgot all about it because we had so much fun at the reception. I can't tell you how it got filed. It's a mystery."

"Huh..." Kagome bit her lip in thought.

**25 years ago...**

The new pastor was sweeping the floor, humming to himself. Friday had been such a beautiful ceremony and the old preacher at the church had been quite pleased with the results. But they hadn't cleaned up before closing for the weekend so he had come in early to straighten things up. He hadn't been at the ceremony but the elder preacher had so he was sure the man would be excited when he came in to see the church so clean.

It was as he was sweeping the back that he saw the paper.

Curious, he bent down and picked it up and was a bit surprised to see the words 'Marriage Certificate' in gold leaf.

"Oh, my." he said in astonishment. "Did that couple drop this?"

He tried to remember their names but could only remember the husband's, Takahashi. And when he looked down he saw it there, a little shakey but plain as day, Takahashi.

He smiled saddly when he thought about how sad the couple would be when they found out the marriage didn't take.

Then he laughed and stuck the paper in his pocket. He would go file it later for them, such was the duty of a man of the faith. He was sure the court would understand.


	9. Well

**Well**

"Well, that settles it then." Kagome said after a full minute of silence as she stood up again and stretched out her limbs. She smiled peacably at Inuyasha. "I'm glad this can all work out without any hurt feelings."

"Really?" Inuyasha stood as well, not certain he liked the look in her eye. It reminded him vaguely of an animal trapped in a corner.

"Yes." Kagome nodded. "Considering the circumstances and the fact that neither parent _truely_ gave their consent, I'll say we can just get this marriage anulled."

"Anulled." Inuyasha repeated softly.

"Right." Kagome nodded, smiling gently. "You can go back to your life, I can pick up the pieces of mine, and we'll both be happy."

"You didn't hear me earlier, did you?" he asked calmly, dangerously calm, like the eye of a storm.

"Which part?" Kagome asked. "It all seemed very clear to me. You're mother mistakenly signed it, my drunk, alcoholic father was tricked into signing and neither of us were very aware of what we were doing. That seems like grounds for anullment to me."

"Not the story." he said taking a step towards her and Kagome, without thinking, took one backwards. "I meant in the park when I found you. When I told you I loved you."

Kagome backed away from his advance wondering dimly if this was what pray felt like when it caught the eye of a lion. "Oh, that?" she laughed it off. "Please, you've been saying that since we first met. Just another one of your little jokes." She gasped involuntarily when her back hit the wall and she had nowhere to go as Inuyasha kept coming.

"Did you ever consider that I said those things for a reason?" he asked softly as he put his hands on the wall, effectively caging her in.

Kagome swollowed in fear, apprehension, and, though she hated to admit it, desire. Her legs were trembling, screaming at her to allow this male, this _man_, to dominate her, to mate her. Her heart sped up and the scent of man hit her nose like a brick wall. And, Kami were his eyes always that golden?

Her underused and quite hungry sex drive set her body on fire telling her there was a mate here and she had damn well better be ready for him!

Inuyasha smirked, damn him!, when he saw her squirm a bit, not uncomfortably.

"You don't even know me." Kagome said at last hoping her voice wasn't as breathy as it sounded. She knew it was when she saw the fire of desire light up in his eyes. Oh, that bastard...

"I know everything I need to know." he said. "My father told me growing up, 'son, when you find a girl who's scent is irresistable to you, that girl will be your mate'. He didn't say nice, or great, or beautiful, or the most wonderful thing you can imagine. He said, 'irresistable."

Kagome's breath quickened because that evil, evil man chose to whisper the last word in her ear. And her body reacted as if he had just ran his hands down her body.

"And your scent, Kagome..." Inuyasha took a deep breath in through the nose, letting her smell, that glorious mix of everything that was Kagome, was over him and cloud his already passion fogged brain. "It's like a drug, a drug I just can't say no to. One sniff just isn't enough. Even through all those years, even when I tried to forget you in another woman's arms, that scent would come back and just fill my brain. And when you pulled up in that little car of yours and I smelled it again, for the first time in so long, I felt like I had come back to life again."

"You knew...even then..." Kagome whispered, it wasn't a statement. The man wasn't touching her, he just let his body hover over hers, encasing her in his warmth.

She cursed herself and told herself she had just broken off an engagement, AN ENGAGEMENT, not even 24 hours ago. To be lusting after another man now just wasn't right!

"I knew." he said. "But how could I tell you? Would you have believed me?"

"No." Kagome said honestly.

"I thought I would just play it out, see what happened." he continued as he regarded her much like, she was sure, a cat looked at a mouse he wasn't hungry enough to eat yet but bored enough to play with. "Then you tell me you're going to get married to another man. Do you know what that did to me.

Kagome looked away from his eyes, those golden eyes that would surely burn her up faster than a fire, and the first thing her eyes landed on was-

"Is that...?"

He looked down and smiled.

The necklace around his neck that she had noticed earlier, and the tiny pink ring dangling from it.

The tiny pink ring...

"Like I would lose my own wedding ring." he chuckled low in his throat drawing Kagome's attention back to her rather...compramising position.

"You kept that all these years?" she asked in wonder.

"Of course." he said getting just a bit closer to her so that if Kagome took a deep breath her chest would press into his but still not touching her. Torturing her. "The ring, you know, is a symbol of a love eternal because there is no end to a circle."

"That was so corny." Kagome couldn't help but smile at it though because, damn him!, it still touched her heart.

"A bit." he admitted, smiling. "But you liked it."

"Who wouldn't?" she asked on a laugh.

"Let me kiss you, Kagome." he said softly. "In 25 years, I've never kissed my wife or held her in my arms as she slept. Just let me have a kiss."

Her labido threatened to kill her if she didn't except. Hojo, for all his sweetness was just that, sweet. He would never take her in his arms and pound her into the bed, or the wall, or make her feel so hot she was sure she was about to burst into flames.

"Just one..." she heard her whispy voice say. Just one, then I'll quite. Just one, and no more. I can have just one...

Oh, damn...

He still wasn't touching her, not nearly as much as she wanted. His lips were on hers, moving and encouraging her to respond, but he kept the rest of his body carefully off of hers.

Sweet torture.

Kagome didn't need much encouraging, she opened her mouth and granted him access. Their tongues danced together, entwining and untangaling. She pushed past him and explored his mouth. Let herself run the tip of her tongue up and down one of his fangs, an action that made him growl appreciatively.

She had to get closer, was all she could think. More, she needed more!

She leaned back only long enough to take a big gulp of air before she pressed her lips back against his and coaxed his tongue into her mouth so he could explore in turn. She had come forward off the wall and molded her body to his, her arms wrapped firmly around his neck, standing on her tip-toes for better access.

She moaned in pleasure when he urged her tongue back into their dance, playful but still so damn sexy.

Inuyasha was being careful, very careful. He wanted so badly to pull her as close as she was trying to get, to lift her legs up around his waist and mate her as his instincts screamed at him to do.

But he promised her just one kiss and no more. So he kept his hands on the wall, his fingers clenching in determination, breaking through the layers of paint and drywall far too easily.

It didn't help that she tasted better than she smelled, and since she smelled like a dream to begin with that was saying something. And she was so determined to climb all over him and that didn't help matters at all.

Kagome didn't stop, couldn't, until she felt a strange but familiar hardness poking her belly.

She laughed huskily as she backed leaned back, keeping her arms around him.

"Sorry." she said unappologetically.

"Feel free." he said, a bit dazed. "I mean it, any time."

Kagome laughed and let herself fall back on her feet and put a few inches between them. "That...that felt good."

"That's a good sign." he chuckled wondering if he could negotiate two kisses out of her.

"Too good." she admitted sadly.

"Oh, man." he pouted. "You're not going to let me have another one, are you?"

"I just got out of a very serious relationship." she explained patiently.

"You just stopped cheating on me." he amended but he took his hands from the wall and let them fall to his side as she unwrapped hers from around his neck.

"Whatever you want to call it." she said. "It was still very serious. I can't just jump into bed with some other man."

"You told me yourself you never slept with him." Inuyasha said unhappily. "So it's not like it's two different beds in two days."

"I'll ignore that because I still feel like someone replaced my muscles with water." she said without any real heat. "But I have to go home for now. I have things that I need to do, things I have to set right before I...start another relationship."

"Coward." he teased as he put some more distance between them. The temptation to shut her up the most tantalizing way he knew how was almost overbearing.

"I want to move out of Hojo's this weekend." she said. "I'll need some help, are you up for it?"

"Hell yeah." he said. "But, uh, where are you going to stay."

"Probably at my mothers." Kagome said. "I can always count on her."

"You could always come here." he said with a big, car salesman smile. "I have lots of room."

"On your big, king sized bed, right?" she asked, laughing.

"Naturally." he winked.

"Thank you." she said seriously. "But I do need a little while on my own. Okay?"

"As long as I'm the rebound, I'm good." Inuyasha smiled. "You going back home tonight?"

"Yeah, I was thinking about it." Kagome nodded.

"Nonsense, you'll stay here." Inuyasha said. Even as Kagome opened her mouth to tell him what a bad idea that was, he said, "Don't worry, I'll be out here on the couch like a good boy. You can have that big bed all by yourself. For tonight, at least. Though, you know, if you get cold, I'm right here."

Kagome laughed. "I'll remember that."

She turned to leave but was suddenly stopped by him grabbing her upper arm and turning her back to him.

"One more thing." he said, his face dead seriouse. "I don't want to hear any more about anulling the marriage or getting a divorce."

"What?" Kagome blinked in confusion wondering where _that_ had come from.

"I was a bit surprised to hear it took." he said. "But that doesn't mean I wasn't happy about it. I never once lied to you. You are my wife, my darling, my bride, my love, my everything. I don't want to _not_ be married to you."

"You don't even know me." Kagome said again, feeling that familiar sting of fear start in her belly. "We got married as kids, _kids!_ What did we know of love or marriage?"

"You may not have loved me then, you probably don't love me now." Inuyasha said. "But you're a human, you love like a human. Not me. I'm a demon and I love like a demon. I loved you then, and I do love you now more than than I love you then. In my eyes, there is no one more perfect than you."

"You've met me less than five times!" Kagome said trying to pull her arm out of his grasp. It wasn't painful but she really wanted to get away from those smoldering, lava like eyes.

"So?" he asked. "Who put a limit on how long you have to know someone before you know you love them?"

"Common sense!" Kagome said fighting her fear with anger.

"Bull shit!" he pulled her closer so he was dominating her, physically if nothing else, and she had to look almost straight up to keep his eyes in her sight. "You're just scared, Kagome, admit it!"

"So what if I am?" she demanded to know. "You're just a fool!"

"We were kids then, and yes I loved you like a kid." he said. "But I'm a man now and I love you as a man. And you can't run from that!"

"Watch me!" Kagome reached back her hand and made to slap him.

But was stopped by his other hand coming up and catching her wrist.

"I. Love. You." he said softly. "I love you. And I don't care how often I have to tell you to make you believe me."

"It doesn't work like that." she said no longer wiggling.

"Then I'll give you time." he said. "However much your damn common sense asks of me. How long do I have to wait, Kagome? A year? Two? More?"

"There's no set limit." Kagome said trying to be logical while her romantic, that bitch, urged her to just fall into his arms and let him carry her back to the bedroom where he could do all the 'convincing' he wanted.

"Then dinner, a movie?" he asked. "How many dates? How many phone calls, how many nights together before you'll believe me?"

"I don't know..." she whispered in defeat.

"Kagome." he let her arms go and cupped her head in his hands instead. "I _do _love you. No matter how much you believe it's not possible, I do. And I will spend the rest of our lives telling you that."

"Inuyasha, how could you possibly know that?" she asked.

"I just do." he smiled softly at her. "Why must you try and make it complicated? Now," he leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss on her forehead, "go into my room, sleep in my bed tonight. And tomorrow, you can go back home and do all the thinking and sorting and mental filing you need to do. And tomorrow, I don't know when, but I'm going to get the urge to call you and tell you I love you. And I don't want you to fight me about it, alright?"

"Inuyasha-"

"Alright?"

Kagome sighed. What harm could there be in letting him continue to believe he loved her after only a few meetings after all? The worst that could happen was he realizing that he was wrong and he didn't actually love her.

And breaking her heart because she was fool enough to believe him.

"Alright."


	10. True to His Word

**True to His Word**

True to his word, he called her the next day.

She had woken up early in his apartment and snuck out while he pretended to not notice and she pretended not to notice that little half smile that told her he was awake and pretending not to notice.

She went home and walked inside to see her mom already cooking and thanked Kami for small blessings when the elder Higurashi just pushed a plate of eggs and sausage at her without question.

Kagome had just finished washing the dishes and was about to get her emergency clothes out of the trunk of her car and change for work when her phone rang.

When she saw the number, she debated wheather or not to answer it.

But she did.

Just before the final ring, she lifted the phone to her ear and said, almost too quiet to hear, "Inuyasha?"

"I love you."

The words brought a small to her face. "Thank you." she said.

"For what?"

she could hear the smile in his face.

For giving me a place to sleep? For letting me escape this morning? For not forcing me to love you back?

"Just, thank you." Kagome said simply.

"I'll be heading to work now."

he said, sounding pleased. _"But I'll be thinking of you."_

"Have fun at work." Kagome said not mentioning that he would probably be filling her thoughts all day too.

"Enjoy your time at work, my heart."

"You, too." Kagome smiled weakly.

"Love you."

he said before hanging up.

She put the phone down, trying to ignore the feeling in her chest and the swoop of joy in her belly that he had called.

It was bad of her. She was a despicable person and she knew it. A few days ago she had been happily engaged to Hojo and now here she was letting another man tell her he loved her.

That evil romance bitch still newly hatched in her mind and more than willing to scream to be heard over her reason told her that that wasn't true. She had been having bad thoughts since before she had even met Inuyasha and the doubts about her engagement had been in her mind for just a little less than that.

And, just as he had predicted, her reason started rationalizing and carpmentalizing and judging her for thinking bad thoughts, well they were actually very good thoughts, about Inuyasha.

That process lasted her through her shower and changing, her bus ride, because she didn't have her car with her, and the walk into work.

But, despite all that time trying to file and sort it out in her mind, she found she was having trouble doing so.

The two halves of her, romance and reason, were so busy battaling it out in her mind, that she found herself sitting at her desk, staring at a blank computer screen for ten minutes. She didn't really move, didn't really react when Sango came in and stared at her. She just looked and thought and tried to make everything fit into the nice little boxes she was used to.

She just couldn't get them to fit.

"Ow..." she rubbed her head when she felt something, a pink eraser, hit her head and glared at Sango who was glaring right back at her.

"Welcome back to earth." she said dully. "Enjoy your time up in space?"

"Huh?" Kagome blinked.

"I've been talking to you for a while now." Sango said. "You've just been sitting there."

"Oh, sorry." Kagome realized she had been so lost she had forgot to put her hair up and lifted her hands to push it out of her face and behind her ears. "I'm just had a-Woh! What are you-"

"Where is it?" Sango, who had just snatched Kagome's left hand and was holding it in front of her eyes. "Kagome, your wedding ring is gone."

"Oh...yeah..." Kagome bit her lip, that damn nervous habit of hers, and looked away.

"'Oh, yeah'?" Sango repeated. "I think that calls for a little more than an 'oh, yeah'."

"Well..." Kagome trailed off. "A lot happened."

"Explain 'a lot'." Sango said dropping her friends hand and sitting on the corner of her desk. "I'm listening."

Kagome gnawed on her bottom lip for a moment more before opened her mouth and telling Sango everything that had happened since, Kami was it just yesterday?

XXXXXXXXXXX

"...and then I hung up." Inuyasha told Miroku with his hands burried deep into the engine of the car in front of him. Miroku was leaning against it, not really working at all.

"Wow..." Miroku said. "That sucks."

"What sucks?" Inuyasha said as he straightened up.

"You didn't even get any last night." Miroku sighed. "What a waste."

"Don't you have something productive to do?" Inuyasha grumbled as he bent back over the engine.

"At the moment? No." Miroku shook his head.

"I swear, if you're half this lazy at my place, I'm firing you." Inuyasha said without any real heat.

"I do have some news, though." Miroku said. "I have a friend who has a friend who's brother has some contacts."

"That was confusing." Inuyasha said. "And the point would be?"

"The contacts, my friend," Miroku continued, "happened to have in their possesion a bunch of rather expensive tools we really could use. And if we're willing to act fast, as in tomorrow, we can get them for over half price."

"How legal is this?" Inuyasha asked, dead serious. "I don't want to wake up with a horse head in my bed, you know. Or cops at my door for that matter."

"You wound me." Miroku said. "They procrued the tools completely legally. They just need some fast cash and are willing to sell at reduced prices to get it."

"We'll pretend I believe you." Inuyasha shook his head sadly. "How much do they want and what am I getting?"

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"...and then he hung up." Kagome finished.

Sango whisteled appreciatively. "I really want to meet this guy. He sounds like a dream."

Kagome sighed. "What am I going to do? Half of me wants to jump his bones, the other half is calling me an idiot."

"I'm going to side with the jump his bones team." Sango said unhelpfully. "Nothing says 'screw you racist bastard' like jumping in bed with a demon."

"Half demon." Kagome corrected.

"Even better." Sango laughed.

"And I don't want to say 'screw you' I just want it over with so I can..."

"Move on?" Sango finished when Kagome obviously wasn't going to. "It's not a bad thing to desire someone, Kagome. Even if you did just end an engagement. You never even had sex with Hojo. And as far as I'm concerned, it's not official until the undies are off and you're rolling around in a hot, sweaty mess."

"There's something wrong with you." Kagome said. "I asked him to help me move out of Hojo's."

"No fucking way!" Sagno jumped off the desk and stared at her friend in disbelief. "You're shiting me!"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't think I can say 'screw you' by jumping into bed with a demon but I bet I could do it by having a demon help me leave his place."

"That's hysterical!" Sango laughed out loud. "Ooh, ooh, let me come! I'll be good and help you pack. Just let me see his face!"

"You're so bad." Kagome admonished but laughed at the same time. "Fine, you can help. But no verbal 'screw you's, okay? I just know you're going to start saying something that will get us all in trouble."

"Ouch." Sango pouted. "I never. So, where you staying?"

"My mom's." Kagome said. "But I have a problem. This was the only thing I had on me at the time. I'm out of clothes."

"No problem, no problem." Sango smiled. "You can some stay with me and barrow my stuff."

Kagome looked at Sango's robin egg blue skirt and white dress shirt and said, "Thanks, but I think your stuff is a bit too...colorful for me."

"There is more to life than black and beige, Kagome." Sango said, rolling her eyes. "You really need to expand your closet a bit. Look at these."

Kagome looked around her desk to the robin egg blue heel Sango showed off.

"Beautiful, right? My weakness is shoes. Trust me, you can never have too many. And, unfortunately, black and beige just doesn't work with these. Neither do they work with my purple ones, or the green ones, or the strappy gladiator ones. No, no, no. See, I pick the shoes and the outfit follows. The result is as you see. Complete fabulousness."

Kagome laughed as Sango did a turn.

"For you, apparently, it's out with the old and in with the new." Sango said. "Romance books, ex-fiancees, new husbands, and, of course, a new wardrobe. You don't need to carpmentalize honey, you need to shop! Shopping is theraputic."

"Not to your wallet." Kagome's reason said even as her romantic looked at the shoes and thought they would look great in muave.

"You can't tell me you don't have a good sized nest egg or two stored away." Sango laughed. "Your far too 'reasonable' not too."

"Yes." Kagome said. "But those are rainy day funds, not shopping trip funds."

"Which is your problem." Sango said. "This is a rainy day and Dr. Sango says you need to do some theraputic shopping. You can say 'screw you racist' in more than one way, honey. And an age old trick of telling an ex 'up yours' is to show him just how freaking sexy you can be."

Kagome bit her lip, actually considering it.

"Quick question." Sango said. "Do you own any lingerie?"

"Sango!" Kagome blushed hotly.

"I'll take that as a no and add 'sexy undies' to the list of what you need." Sango laughed. "We'll make Hojo regret his loss and Inuyasha the happiest man alive in one shopping trip."

"Who said anything about Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

"Oh, please." Sango rolled her eyes. "It's only a matter of time and all three of us know it."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sango, I know you think I was kidding but I don't want to go." Kagome said as Sango dragged her toward toward the mall. "Really, I don't want any new clothes."

"Yeah, yeah." Sango continued, ignoring her. "Let the record show that Kagome protests. Now, come on."

"If you know I'm protesting, why are you insisting?" Kagome pouted as Sango continued dragging her.

"It's for your own good." she laughed. "You _need_ this and you can't tell me you don't."

"I don't." Kagome said automatically.

"Very funny." Sagno said as they went inside. "We're not leaving until we've maxed out your and my credit cards."

"That's not a very pleasent prospect." Kagome said.

"Do you and Hojo have a joint account?" Sango asked.

"No." Kagome said immediately. "We thought it would be more fiscally responsible to wait until after we were actually married."

"'Fiscally responsible'." Sango repeated. "Wow. Hard to beleive Casanova lost you so easily. Oh, well. I guess we can't clean out his account but we can still spend your money."

"That makes me feel so much better." Kagome rolled her eyes as she finally stopped fighting Sango.

"It should, penny pincher." Sango laughed. "Now, we are not leaving this place until we have enough clothes to sink a battle ship."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome was laughing. She hated to admit it but all this shopping was, indeed, fun. They had already made two trips to the car to put away their immense amount of shopping bags and were currently raiding every lingerie store they could find.

She already had three teddies, six sets of matching lace underwear, two nightgowns a lot more revealing, and decadent, than her cream one, and was debating weather or not she should invest in a corset.

"After this, I'm thinking 'sex shop'." Sango, who only bought two new sets of underwear so far, said.

"For what?" Kagome laughed as she gave a mental what-the-hell and threw the corset, and a second, differently styled one, into the basket on her arm.

"They have lingerie too, you know." Sango winked. "Just a bit more...fun than the ones here."

"Jeez, Sango." Kagome laughed. "I think there's something wrong with you."

"Naturally." Sango laughed, flipping her hair. "Is that my phone or yours?"

"Mine." Kagome said, pulling the ringing object from her purse and clicking talk before she looked at the number.

"_I love you."_

Kagome smiled, "Hello."

"Is that hotty hubby?" Sango asked, simultaniously throwing a third corset into Kagome's basket.

Kagome waved her away. "What are you doing?"

"_About to get off work. Thought I would call you and tell you I love you."_

_"Hey, is that that girl you were talking about?"_

_"Go away, Miroku."_

"Who is that?' Kagome asked.

_"An idiot."_

_"Can I talk to her?"_

"What's he doing?" Sango asked as she started looking at some perfume.

"Nothing." Kagome said. "He called to tell me he loved me."

"Awww." Sango said. "You have I love you calls and were going to marry fiscally responsible?"

_"Who is that?"_

"Sango." Kagome said. "And why are you focusing on the fiscally responsible part and not the racist part?"

_"Who is Sango?"_

_"Sango? Is that a girl? Is she hot? Is she single?"_

_"I said go away! Aren't you supposed to be closing?"_

"I'm focusing on both." Sango said. "And since we're currently spending gross amounts of money on clothes and sexy undies, the fiscally responsible part is more important."

_"Sexy undies?"_

_"What sexy undies? Is someone wearing sexy undies."_

_"Do your job, Miroku! Get off me!"_

_"He-ey, Kagome! You're Inuyasha's wife aren't y-umph!"_

_"I said get off me!"_

"Is he okay?" Kagome asked, worried.

"Is who okay?" Sango asked. "What's wrong with Inuyasha?"

_"Come on, let me talk to her for a second."_

_"Give me my phone back!"_

"I think Miroku stole his phone." Kagome said as she listened to a scuffle on the other end of the line.

"Fun." Sango laughed. "Who's winning?"

_"Is that Sango? She sounds hot?"_

_"Give me my phone, you lech!"_

_"Now, Inuyasha, that's not nice."_

"I think Miroku's winning." Kagome laughed.

"Oh, that style also comes in see through." a passing sales lady said, seeing the corset on Kagome's arm.

"Oh, really?" Kagome asked looking at it. "That might actually look really good in see through. Can I see one?"

"Sure, let me get you one from the back."

_"What's see through?"_

"The lingerie I'm buying." Kagome said.

"_You're buying lingerie, huh?"_

_"She's buying lingerie? Miroku, come back here and give me MY PHONE!"_

_"Down boy! Haha!" _Kagome winced when she heard something crash. _"She mentioned the word 'see through', too. Ooh, Inuyasha. Are you in for a treat or what? UMPH!"_

"What's happening?" Sango asked at her wince.

"I don't know." Kagome shrugged. "Hello? Hello?" no one responded but she heard laughs and crashes on the other end.

"Here you go, miss." the lady came back, handing her the corset.

"Oh, this is nice." Sango said, feeling the material. "Do you have one in my size?"

"Oh, that _is_ nice." Kagome said, taking it form her.

"_What's nice?" _an out of breath Inuyasha asked from the other end of the phone.

"Nothing much." Kagome said, smiling evily.

"Maybe if you're a very good boy she'll show you." Sango said into the mouthpiece.

"Sango!" Kagome blushed as she heard Inuyasha go, _"Really?"_

"I got to go." Kagome said, hanging up upbruptly. "Can you stop?"

"NEVER!" Sango laughed evily.


	11. Guess Who

**Guess Who**

"Guess who came back from the hospital because his ears are all beter." Sango said without preamble, walking into Kagome's office.

"Who?" Kagome asked as she typed a report on her computer.

"Mitsuki, of course." Sango said as she plopped her butt onto her favorite corner of Kagome's desk. "Know anyone else who's gone deaf recently?"

"Mit-who?" Kagome asked, cearly distracted.

"Mitsuki!" Sango said loudly. "You know, racist bitch?"

Kagome sighed. "I thought I had supressed that."

"Yeah, well, want to know the latest?" Sango asked.

"Why not?" Kagome typed one last thing before sitting back. "What's going on with Mitsuki.

"Well, from what I've heard," Sango said playing with Kagome's Newton's cradle, "he's still not fired. In fact, from what I've heard, and as a key witness I've heard a lot, his lawyer is trying to sue Daseki for-"

"Who's Daseki?" Kagome interrupted.

"Oh, the bat demon guy." Sango said. "He's real nice. He took me to lunch about a week ago."

"Sango." Kagome frowned.

"We didn't do anything." Sango said. "But he did say he might call after the case is settled."

"Just get on with the story." Kagome sighed.

"Yeah, anyway." Sango continued. "Mitsuki's lawyers are counter suing Daseki for damages his little sonic attack did. It's just so hilariious."

"Glad you're so amused." Kagome sighed. "This is going to cost the company millions. Why didn't they just fire that jerk after the first time?"

"You know how the heads are." Sango shrugged. "Bunch a racist bastards the lot of them."

"Which begs the question of why we're even working here?" Kagome asked, turning back to he rcomputer sadly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well?" Hiruka asked as Inuyasha and Miroku looked over the once marvelous now abondoned garage.

"Hiruka, if I wasn't a married man, I could kiss you." Inuyasha said honestly as he looked out at the building that was, finally, his.

"If I wasn't a married woman, I might ask you to anyway." Hiruka, a happy mother of two, smiled. "And, about our agreement, dear?"

"Don't worry." Inuyasha winked at her. "When business kicks off, you'll be the first to benefit."

Hiruka had gone down on the price again, almost to the point where it was too good to be true. Hiruka called it an investment. When Inuyasha started making money, and Hiruka was sure he would, she would reap the benefits of helping to buy his building.

"Good." she smiled. "Just don't forget me, my dear. I would hate to sue you."

Inuyasha laughed because he knew she was dead serious. A happy mother of two who cut the crusts off her kids' sandwitches and wouldn't hesitate to destroy a person on the business front.

"You know." Miroku piped up. "I don't think you can technically call yourself married, Inuyasha."

"Now that he mentions it, I've never seen you wear a wedding ring." she said checking his left hand.

"I don't wear it." he said, smiling a bit. "It's too small. And it's a wierd situation."

"You'll have to tell me about it sometime." she said as she checked her watch. "But not now, I have a house to show over on Pearl Street. Do you and the happy wife have need of a house by any chance?"

"Not right now." Inuyasha said. "But when we do, I'll be sure to give you a call."

"I'll hold you to that." she smiled as she passed Inuyasha the keys to the garage. "Have fun running your garage, dear."

Inuyasha laughed in victory as he tossed the keys in the air and caught them again. "My life is going right, Miroku."

"That's just euphoria from wet dreams about Kagome in lingerie." he said.

"You ever say 'wet dream' and 'Kagome' in the same sentence again, I'll rip your throat out." Inuyasha promised happily as he and Miroku left, locking it up behind them.

"How is the little lady, anyway?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha snickered. "I'm helping her move out of Hobo's tomorrow. It's going to be lots of fun."

"Awesome." Miroku laughed. "Can I come watch the train wreck too?"

"You don't do manual labor." Inuyasha said. "You'd sit back eating popcorn and instigating."

"Yeah, and?" Miroku asked with a charming smile.

"I really will fire you if you're half this lazy here as you are at Yukia's." Inuyasha promised. "I want you to actually _do_ something."

"Hey, I'm providing less than minimum wage labor here." Miroku said. "You'll force me to eat ramen for months."

"I don't know why you're complaining. I like ramen." Inuyasha said as they climbed in his car. "And paying little for you to do nothing is a hell of a lot more expensive than to not pay for you to not even breath my air."

"Harsh." Miroku said. "I'm not completely useless you know."

"I've never seen proof." Inuyasha said. "I mean it. Work or get fired."

"Yeah, yeah." Miroku said. "I do work on cars, I'll have you know."

"No." Inuyasha said. "You charge a bunch of money to throw duct tape on it then charge more when they come back because nothing is fixed at all."

"You call it lazy, I call it a clever money maching scheme." Miroku smiled wider.

"I call it grounds for a lawsuit." Inuyasha corrected.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You'll have to go up eventually." Inuyasha said as he and Sango stood behind Kagome who was looking up with trepidition at her apartment building. "Your stuff isn't going to just float down."

"I know. I'm...preparing myself mentally." Kaogme said.

Sango checked her watch. "Come on, babe. I have stuff to do. I _have_ a life, you know."

Kagome took a deep breath and walked forward into the building. Inuyasha and Sango weren't impressed because it had taken twice that long to get her out of the car.

She had been staying with Sango, barrowing her clothes, the most demure ones she could find, and trying to ignore the stares at work from her suddenly colorful wardrobe.

But, that morning, Sango had woken her up and pulled her out of the guest room to 'make her hot' and 'make Hojo hate himself'.

As a result, Kagome was wearing her sexiest pair of black lace panties despite her objections that he couldn't see them.

"He'll feel them spiritually and that's what matters." Sango had explained. "You don't wear something this hot and not have lace underneath. Men feel a disturbance in the force when you don't."

'something hot' was a black skirt that fluttered freely around her thighs, because it didn't even reach her knees. It was a green camisole that clung tight to her figure and revealed a thin strip of middrif despite all her efforts not to. There was lace at her low neckline, because her underwear just wasn't enough, and along the bottom. It was a pair of black, strappy heels high enough to make Kagome geniunly fear she might break her neck.

A fear put to rest when Inuyasha promised to catch her.

Sango and Inuyasha had hit it off faster than a thought. Bonding over the thoughts that both he and Kagome needed to be at omptimum sexiness. Not that Inuyasha's baggy jeans and black wife beater were particularly sexy. But the top show cased his arm muscles and could be easily removed to show his entire well muscled chest.

Again, just to make Hojo hate them and himself and make Kagome look good.

She didn't hesitate at the elevator or he walk down the hall at her floor. But she did pause at the door and showed no signs of ever moving again.

"Jeez, Kagome." Sango rolled her eyes.

Inuyasha stepped up and took her key from her and walked in like it was his apartment.

And scared Hojo who jumped up from the couch crying out, "Take whatever you want, just don't hurt me!"

"Have a problem with that much, do you?" Inuyasha asked as recognition came in the man's eyes and Sango and Kagome followed them.

"What are _you_ doing-Kagome? What are you wearing?" he looked her over.

"I've just come to get my things, hojo." Kagome said coldly. "Sango and Inuyasha are here to help."

"I don't want some demon in my house!" Hojo yelled.

"Too late." Inuyasha said pushing him down onto the sofa as he paused.

"That was assault!" Hojo told him but he didn't stand back up.

"So sue me." Inuyasha ignored him and walked into the bedroom. "What's yours Kagome?"

"The armiore and everything on it is mine." Kagome said as Sango followed him. "Sango, can you get to my underwear drawer before he does?"

"Not like there's anything interesting in it." Sango smiled. "All your good stuff is at my place."

"Good stuff?" Hojo repeated his eyes going to Kagome's chest automatically. He was a gentleman, but he was still a man.

"They bought lingerie the other day." Inuyasha called out from the bedroom.

Hojo's eyes turned accusing. "Lingerie? You weren't gone a week and you've already turned into a demon's whore?"

"Woh!" Sango poked her head out of the room. "He said the 'w' word! Kagome, you said he was a nice guy!"

"I also said he was a racist." Kagome pointed out. Sango had already instructed her that she wasn't to do any actual moving. As the ex-fiancee, it was her job to stand there as sexy as possible while they did the actual work. "I think I have a suitcase set in the closet."

"Got cha." Sango winked and disappeared back into the room as Inuyasha came out of it, the armiore in his arms.

"I'll just take this down to Sango's truck." he said as he passed and leaned down long enough to kiss the curve of her neck.

Kagome glared at him but couldn't do anything about it as he was already gone and Hojo was setting her on fire with his eyes.

"Leave me and run to a demon." Hojo stood up again. "I thought you had better taste than that."

"Yeah, well. He knows how to please a woman." Kagome only half bluffed. He had certianly knew how to please in that kiss but she knew he would infer more into the statement than that.

"Why are you being so unreasonable about this?" Hojo asked as Sango came into the living room, Kagome's carry on bag in her hands.

"I put your make up and other assorted goodies in here." she said setting it down at Kagome's feet. "Next time, we're hitting the make up counters. You don't have a single tube of fire engine red lipstick."

Kagome, who was wearing Sango's fire engine red lipstick, rolled her eyes but smiled. "You get my underwear yet?"

"On it, captian." Sango saluted. "But Inuyasha was throwing the stuff from the armiore onto the bed so I thought I should grab it up first."

"Thanks." Kagome said sincerely as Sango went back. "And I'm not being unreasonable. You are." she turned back to Hojo. "How could you be, of all things, racist?"

"How could you be interested in, of all things, bestiality?" he shot back. "You just jump into bed with some half-breed mut?"

"He's not a half-breed mut!" Kagome snapped. "He's a man and a better one than you!"

"Thanks, love." Inuyasha laughed, coming back in. "Any more heavy lifting for me?"

"No." Kagome said. "I moved here from my mom's. I didn't really have any furniture."

"Alright." he said, putting his arm around her shoulder possessively. "You know, I was thinking; how about we go on a real date?"

"Do you really think now is the right time?" Kagome asked, unable to keep her smile completely off her face. Sometimes Inuyasha was just so 'up yours' it was hilarious.

"Absolutely." Inuyasha smiled. "And afterwords, I can show you how a _real_ man loves a woman." the last was obviously directed at Hojo.

"Just because I don't jump in bed and ravish a woman like a wild animal..." Hojo growled.

"You should try it some time, you might like it." Inuyasha smirked. "I _highly_ reccomend it."

"I thought you were a better woman than this, Kagome." he said, eyeing Inuyasha like he was dirt under his shoes.

"Yeah, well I thought you were a better man than this, Hojo." Kagome snapped as Sango came out, one suitcase rolling behind her and another in her hand.

"This it, babe?" Sango asked.

"Yeah." Kagome smiled at her. "let's go."

"Just so you know," Sango said as Inuyasha took the suitcase from her hand and Kagome picked up her carry on bag, "we are going through all this junk and throwing pretty much all of it away. It's all crap."

"You might be right." Kagome said to her own surprise as the three of them left, leaving a gaping Hojo behind.


	12. How Do You Feel

**How Do You Feel**

"How do you feel?" Sango asked as Kagome took deep breaths in the back of her truck.

"Shakey." Kagome admitted with a smile. "I feel so...odd."

"Excited?" she asked.

Kagome thought it over a moment, watching Inuyasha who was in the passenger seat. He had the window rolled down and was letting the wind hit him with all signs of enjoying himself.

She smiled at the thought of his sticking his tongue out and putting his head out the window.

"I feel liberated. But...sad." she said at last. "He _was_ my fiancee."

"True." Sango sighed. "Ah well. We'll take your stuff over to my place. We're still trashing most of it. Inuyasha, you need to be anywhere?"

Inuyasha checked his watch. "I have to be at my garage at 4. Some guys are coming to install some equipment and then the power and water guys will be there at 6. Miroku said he could handle it but I trust him about as far as Kagome can throw him."

Sango snickered. "Miroku, huh? Isn't that the guy who stole your phone that day?"

"Yeah." Inuyasha sighed. "He's about as valuble as iron pyrite but I still love him like a brother. Wouldn't trust him with a bent spoon though."

Kagome laughed as Sango asked, "Iron pyrite?"

"Fool's gold." Kagome answered. "Inuyasha, can I borrow the key to your apartment?"

"Huh, sure. Why?" he asked as he pulled his keys from his pocket and handed them back to her.

"I wanted to surprise you one day by waiting in your apartment naked." she said with a dead serious face.

"I don't know if you're kidding or not." Inuyasha said just as serious as Sango burst out laughing.

Kagome smirked evilly as she put the keys in her purse. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see."

Inuyasha adjusted himself, glad he had chosen to wear baggy jeans that day. "Anyway, before that mental image can plant itself too deeply in my brain," too late, "I'll just run from your place to my garage."

"So you got your garage, huh?" Kagome asked innocently. "Your dreams are coming true."

Inuyasha smiled, "Yeah. My own garage."

"Got any need for a sexy secretary and a girl who's good with numbers?" Sango asked. "I have a feeling we'll be needing a new job soon."

"Sango!" Kagome yelped as Inuyasha went, "What? Why? Are you guys getting fired?"

"Nah!" Sango grinned. "But Kagome is going through this whole 'character revolution' thing right now. Racists and beige are her biggest enemies at the moment."

"Beige, really?" Kagome asked dully.

"Hojo's gone." Sango continued as if she hadn't spoken. "And the company we work for are all a bunch of the same kind of assholes. She's getting fed up with it, I can tell. And the only reason I'm still at that dump is because I can't leave her behind."

"Aw, Sango." Kagome smiled again.

"So, when Kagome finally blows her top and quits, or gets herself fired, we'll need new places of employment." Sango finished as Kagome glared at her. "So, any room for a number cruncher and eye candy?"

Inuyasha chuckled. "Well, I already promised Kagome a job if she wants it. I meant it then and still do now. And I do need someone to take appointments and draw in customers. 'Cause Miorku certainly can't do it."

Sango laughed. "Great. I don't know exactly when she'll burst, but it should be soon. She's getting fed up with them and everything about them."

"I'm still here, you know." Kagome spoke up but was ignored.

"I'll keep that in mind." Inuyasha said. "As long as you don't mind working a bit cheap for starters."

"No problem, no problem." Sango said. "I've got a nest egg or two stored away. Plus my trust from when I turned 18 still hasn't been depleted. And I know, despite all my attempts to change it, Kagome still has money safely tucked away. I'd watch out if I were you, lover boy. She's into fiscally responsible."

"You just wont let that go, will you?" Kagome grumbled as they pulled into Sango's drive way.

"That's okay." Inuyasha shrugged. "She can handle all the 'fiscally' she wants. I'm more useful in a...different way."

"O-oh, nice." Sango winked as they climbed out. "Alright, muscles. You get the armiore, I'll get the suitcases again, Kagome, you're on carry on duty."

"Not like I can do anything else in these stilts." Kagome grumbled as she walked in ahead of them and went to the guest room that was, for the moment, her home.

A few seconds later, Sango was there with her suitcases. Then a few seconds after her, came Inuyasha.

"Where you want this thing?" he asked.

"Over there, is fine." Kagome waved at the wall and watched as her set the extremely heavy armiore down.

"I'll get us some lemonade." Sango said as she left and headed to the kitchen, humming as she went.

"This is nice." Inuyasha said, stroking the wood.

"My father made it for me when I was a girl." she said. "Before he got into the drinking."

Inuyasha turned his eyes to her as he walked to her side. "I've been a very good boy lately." he said seductively. "I didn't even punch Hobo in the face. I think I deserve a treat."

"Woh, slow down there." Kagome said. "You can't change moods that fast, I think I got whiplash."

"It's your fault." he accused as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her body close to his. "Talking about waiting naked for me in my apartment. Are you trying to torture me?"

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" Kagome asked even as she slipped her arms around his neck and bent her neck back for his kiss.

"Yeah." he said, tightening his arms a bit. "I need to be right here."

"You're so corny." Kagome grinned.

"And you love it." he said back as he closed the last few inched between them and-

"Alright, lemo-oops!" Sango turned back around and left. "I didn't see nothing!"

Kagome laughed against Inuyasha's mouth because he still didn't pull back.

Their last kiss had felt desperate, needy. Dark, even.

This one was like sunshine. Warm and welcome and easy.

She felt like she was slipping into a tub of perfectly warm water, sinking deeper into him. He was gentle, carefuly with her. And it was a thrill to feel his claws trail delicately along her skin as he slipped his hand under her shirt and up her back.

Her body meshed perfectly against his, as if every curve had been designed to fit him like a body glove. She was soft where he was hard, a direct contrast to him in every way. But perfect and incredible and she tasted like a river of the sweetest honey.

"Isn't Miroku waiting?" Kagome asked, breaking for much needed air.

"Fuck him." Inuyasha said, pulling her back and coaxing her tongue back into a dance they were both already familiar with.

"Your garage..." she tried again, her words muffled.

"Fuck it." he growled, burying his other hand in her hair as the one on her back began tracing circles.

Kagome agreed wholeheartedly and let her hands unwrap and move to the top of his head where his fuzzy ears waited.

He growled in contentment as she started rubbing them. It wasn't sexual, but it was extremely relaxing.

He wanted more, needed more.

Without even a grunt of effort, he put his hands at her hips and lifted her up. Autmotically, she wrapped her legs around her waist to stabilize herself. He walked her to the bed and fell onto it so he was on top of her, pressing her body into the matress.

All without breaking their kiss.

Kagome smiled as he lifted himself up and looked down at her. Her lips were red and puffy now and her eyes sparkled with desire as her chest heaved.

"You're so beautiful." he said, smiling slightly. "I think I'm falling for you all over again."

Kagome smiled as she put her arms back around his neck. "So corny."

She tugged him down and he let her pull him into another kiss.

"I don't mind you two making out but no bumping uglies in my guest room in broad daylight." Sango called out from the living room making them bust out laughing.

"You're ruining my moment, Sango!" Inuyasha called out.

"Miroku and your garage are waiting." Kagome said to him with a bit of a regretful smile. "Go. I'll see you later." it wasn't a friendly good-bye, it was a seductive promise of more to come.

"Damn woman." Inuyasha forced himself to pull back from her embrace. "You're dangerous."

"The sooner you get there, the sooner you can leave." Kagome smiled. "Hurry home."

Inuyasha leaned back down and pecked her on the cheek. "I _am_ falling for you all over again."

With that, and a quick farewell to Sango, Inuyasha left the house.

A moment later, Sango came to stand in the frame of her guest room door and look at her friend who was still laying down sideways on the matress. "Have fun, deary?"

"Sango, I need a favor." Kagome said, her eyes on the ceiling.

"Name it, babe." Sango smiled.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Why are you so twitchy?" Miroku asked as Inuyasha tapped his foot and watched the power guy, the only guy left besides himself an Miroku, finish up the wiring.

"I just want to go home." Inuyasha said looking at his watch and growling when he realized it hadn't really changed much in the last twenty seconds.

"Well, yeah, so do I." Miroku said. "But I can contain myself."

Inuyasha looked outside, the sun was setting, and the power guy was taking too damn long!

"Alright." the power guy said coming into the garage after finishing whatever the hell had been taking him so long outside. "Just sign this and we're done here."

Inuyasha signed it and sent the guy on as fast as he could.

"So, I was thinking." Miroku said as Inuyasha almost sprinted to his car. "Maybe we could go out, get drunk, celebrate."

"Nope." Inuyasha said as he threw hismelf in his car.

"Why not?" Miroku asked.

"Because." Inuyasha turned on the car, shut the door and rolled down the window in three smooth continuous motions. "Because, unlike you, I am getting laid tonight."

He peeled out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha paused in front of his own door, then opened it and walked inside. It was dark, but he could smell her. He flipped on the switch but his living room was exactly as it had been when he left it this morning.

Except for a trail of red orange petals that led from his front door to his closed bedroom door.

He smirked, shut and locked the door, and threw his keys on his couch as he followed his dotted trail.

"Honey, I'm home." he called out as he reached his door.

He waited but got no response, so he opened his door.

"Welcome home." Kagome purred from his bed.

There were more rose petals on his bed, littering what had to be a brand new black satin sheet set and blood red comforter that had butterfly designs on it in black thread. The lights were off, but there were scent free, demon friendly, candles burning all around, casting almost everything in shadow but still providing more than adequate light. In the background, he heard his stereo playing something low and seductive.

And on his bed, laid out like a super model, was the woman of his dreams.

"You like?" she asked as she trailed a finger up the curve of her belly.

"I love." Inuyasha said knowing it was cliche but unable to resist.

The lingerie she had picked was red, just as dark and sultry as the rose petals around her. The lace undies hid just enough to make him want more. The top was a long baby doll teddy that split right up the middle revealing her sexy stomach to him.

He took a few steps inside and noticed that the lace was butterfly patterned.

And he didn't know what she did to her skin but it seemed to just glow and beg him to touch and carress it.

"Well?" Kagome asked, fluttering her eyelashes. "I've been untouched for far too long, Inuyasha. I want this, I want you, _bad_. But if you don't get over here and take it-"

He didn't find out what would happen if he didn't get over there because he was already over there, pulling her by the neck so he could crush her mouth on his.

He pulled back only to pull his wife beater over his head then he was back, sucking her tongue into his mouth and playing with it even as his hands started roaming freely down her body.

Kagome didn't care that he was being rough, she was too busy running her hands up and down his back and chest, feeling the muscles jump at her touch. They were rock hard and tense, and damn if everything female in her didn't respond to it.

She heard him kick off his shoes as he used one hand to begin stroking her netherlips.

Kagome hadn't been touched by a man in a long time. Just preparing for Inuyasha's arrival back here had made her excited. So to finally have a man treating her like a real woman was a joy that couldn't be described.

She moaned her pleasure out as he slipped his hand into the lace of her panties and dipped the tip of his finger into her hole.

"You're wet." he smirked. "Already? I just got here, love."

"Shut up and give it to me!" Kagome growled as she slammed her lips back against his.

He chuckled deep in his throat as her tiny hands started unbuttoning his pants. Then she slipped then down off his hips with her feet and he kicked them off onto the floor.

Kagome didn't waste any time, she reached down and began stroking his cock, moaning at feeling a man's hard flesh for the first time in years.

Hojo, her job, her suddenly depleted bank account, none of that mattered right now. All that mattered was the sweet fire born in the meeting of their flesh.

"I like this." Inuyasha whispered in her ear as he carressed her breasts through her lace. "But I don't have the patience to pull it off properly."

That was all the warning Kagome got before he sliced it open and her breasts popped out for display.

Inuyasha growled in pleasure as he turned his attention to them, grabbing one in his hand and kneading it while he sucked and nipped the other.

Kagome was thrashing under him, bucking her hips, begging for more both vocally and physically.

It was almost too much to bare.

Inuyasha couldn't wait any longer, his body craved her like his lungs craved air, a deep need that became painful if he was denied it too long. He moved into the juncture of her thighs, ripped away her pretty lace panties, and let her guide his member to her waiting hole.

Later, he promised himself. He would have all the time he wanted to explore and adore her body later. But he needed this now, needed it bad!

Kagome cried out in ecstasy as he thrust into her. "Yes! YES! MORE!"

How long had it been since she had felt this? Since her body had ben giving such sweet bliss?

He wasn't being gentle, pounding her body into the matress. Then again, she didn't want him to be gentle. She wanted it just like this, hard, fast, and amazing.

She met him thrust for thrust as she pulled him back down to get another kiss.

"Please tell me you're on the pill." Inuyasha gasped into her mouth.

"Just do it!" Kagome nearly screamed.

It didn't take long, a few more thrusts and Kagome did scream out wordlessly as her lower muscles began rippling and trying to milk his cock of his precious seed.

A seed which he couldn't deny her as he came a moment later.

He collapsed on top of her, both of them sweaty and breathing hard.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Gods, yes." Kagome said at long last as she traced meaningless shapes on the contours of his back.

Inuyasha chuckled again making his body vibrate against hers in a way that tickled her body in a pleasing way. "Glad you liked it." he said half into the blaket. "I think I forgot how to move."

Kagome smiled and pushed against his chest. She couldn't have moved his body on her own but he rolled over, slipping out of her sweet warmth. But she rolled with him so she was curled into his side.

"I do have some bad news though." she confessed smiling like she had a toothache. "I got a little too excited. I'm not actually on the pill or anything."

Inuyasha chuckled. "Damn. It's alright. We'll be more careful next time."

"And what if..." Kagome trailed off.

Inuyasha kissed the top of her head, laughing. "Honey, we've been married for 25 years. It's about damn time we had some kids. I'll be happy no matter what happens."


	13. Waking Up

**Waking up**

Waking up, Kagome was sure, hadn't ever felt so incredible.

Her body felt used, pleasently. It had been so long since she had felt a lover's touch and the after glow of lovemaking made her feel positively radiant.

And it never hurt to be woken by your lover coming into the room with breakfast on a tray.

"I'm not much of a cook so I hope you like ramen." Inuyasha said setting the tray on the bedside table, two steaming bowls of ramen on it.

Kagome sat up, holding the blanket to her chest, as she tried to tame the lion mane her hair had become or at least get it out of her face. She smiled contendedly at him as Inuyasha fell into bed beside her and pulled her naked body against his side. He had thrown on pants but nothing else and hadn't even bothered to button them.

"Sleep well, my love?" he asked running his fingers along her arm.

Kagome nodded. "Oh, yeah. I needed that."

"Which time?" Inuyasha winked.

"You aren't worried, are you?" she asked thinking about how, that first time, they had taken no precaution."

Inuyasha shook his head. "I love you, Kagome. If it does happen, then it happens. If not..." he shrugged and leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. "If not then we can always try again."

"Stupid." Kagome pinched him gently.

"You're a married woman, no one would bat an eyelash." he smirked.

Kagome rolled her eyes. "We're not actually married, Inuyasha."

"I beg to differ _and_ I have the law on my side." Inuyasha pointed out. "But, I'll let it drop for now. Instead, how about I ask you out?"

"A bit late don't you think?" Kagome asked.

"Youre right." Inuyasha agreed surprising her a bit. "Married for as long as we have been, you might even be pregnant. We're way past the point of dating. So go make me a sandwitch woman." he smacked her ass playfully.

"Nice try." Kagome reached past him to grab the tray of romen. "So, what kind of date did you have in mind?"

"Well," Inuyasha paused to grab some noodles in his fingers and drop them into his mouth, "we already did the dining thing. Which you stuck me with the bill for, by the way."

Kagome stuck her tongue out at him as she at her noodles with her fingers as well.

"There's a car show in town." he said. "I was planning on taking Miroku but I bet I would have a lot more fun with you."

"What's a car show?" Kagome asked, images of cars driving across stage dancing in her mind.

"Its fun." he said. "Get dressed and I'll take you."

"Won't Miroku be mad?" Kagome asked thinking about the bag she had put in his closet with everything she needed to get ready for the day after their night together.

"He'll get over it." Inuyasha said. "It might even be good for him."

Kagome smiled and pushed the ramen away, Inuyasha moved the tray back to the stand. "All right. Then get dressed."

"Of the two of us, I'm less likely to get arrested if we go out as is." he said. "You get dressed."

Kagome rolled her eyes but climbed out of bed as Inuyasha watched her pad naked to his closet and get her bag.

"Enjoying the view?" she asked, standing up.

"Yep." Inuyasha said shamelessly.

"Can I use your shower?" she asked half hiding her body and still giving him a great view.

He wasn't looking at her crotch or even her breasts. He was enjoying the curve of her hips, the shape of her legs, the look of her slightly messy hair. It was a beautiful to him in a very simple way.

"Only if you let me join you." he said, half joking as she rolled her eyes and left heading towards the bathroom.

He laughed as he took another bite of ramen and he heard the shower start.

"I thought you were joining me?" she called out.

Inuyasha paused for only a half second as he processed what she said. He jumped out of bed and ran to his bathroom.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh, look at that!" Kagome pointed in excitement to a bat mobile on the showroom floor. It was one of many cars in the movie theme. Inuyasha liked the bad ass, expensive cars and the old fashioned, looks brand new cars. But Kagome couldn't tell you anything about brands, year, or model and took enjoyment in the famous ones she recognized. "Do you think it actually works."

Inuyasha looked at it for a moment. "Yeah, I think it's drivable. I doubt it has any cool missiles though."

Kagome nudged him playfully as they walked past it.

They walked as if they had been joined at the hip. Inuyasha had his arm around her shoulders, his other hand in his pocket. Kagome liked Inuyasha's warmth and didn't try to put any distance between them with her arm around his waist and her other hand reached up and entwined with his. She felt like a teenager again, excited at the prospect of a first date and wondering if he was going to kiss her or not.

And this was the same man who had helped her 'bathe' that morning.

The car show was indoors, three floors of gleaming cars, smiling models, and owners giving loud demenstrations of their car's worth. It was all Greek to her, though Inuyasha seemed impressed by parts that she couldn't understand. However, she could appreciate an expensive looking ride as much as the next girl.

In Inuyasha's pocket was a poloroid of Kagome posing on a classic pink Cadillac. In Kagome's was a small keychain that Inuyasha said was shaped as a Lexus Spyder with doors that actually opened. Live music from a local band was floating around on the first floor while the other floors enjoyed their show on speakers and TV screens.

Kagome and Inuyasha were on the second floor, listening to some guy explaining all the things that made his car amazing while a hot blonde walked around it, showing off said features.

Kagome didn't understand any more than the words 'and' and 'faster' that he spoke. But the car looked very cool. And Inuyasha was obviously having a great time.

"So, is this what you do in your free time?" Kagome asked as people, men more than women, were allowed to come up and takes photoss of the car and it's model.

"Yeah." Inuyasha nodded. "This and having fun with my wifey."

"Two birds with one stone, huh?" she asked unable to deny that she was having fun as well.

"So, are you going to come to the grand opening of my garage?" he asked.

"Wouldn't miss it." Kagome said. "When are you going to open?"

"Well." he though a bit. "Me and Miroku are painting it tomorrow, putting up this sign my brother's wife made for me. He says he's getting the rest of our tools delivered today so we'll probably be able to open it in about a week. I called Yukia the other day and gave notice. He's not happy with me."

"Feels the same way as the giant when Jack took his golden goose, huh?" Kagome asked.

"Exactly." he smirked. "Golden goose. I like that."

"I thought you would." Kagome laughed as they paused before a very old Ford.

It looked like it could have been one of the first models ever built to Kagome but Inuyasha assured her that it wasnt.

"I dont understand how you can recognize all these by sight alone." Kagome marveled as they watched a model start the old car.

"How do you perform complex math problems in your head and set yearly budgets based only on how much a company spent last year?" he countered.

"It's our jobs." Kagome answered with a smile.

"Exactly." he nodded. They left the old car alone and moved on to a speed demonstration by two rival companies. "Speaking of complex math problems, can you help me out a bit?"

"With what?" Kagome asked.

"Well, I'm having some issues with the bank." he confessed. "I bought a whole assload of stuff at one time and my bank's mad at me and I'm not sure how to get myself out of the whole I dug."

Kagome laughed. "Oh, why not? What are friends for?"

"Burrying bodies." Inuyasha said immediatly. "And I don't think you count as just a friend any longer?"

"Then what would you call me?" Kagome asked.

"Wife." he said without hesitation.

"Lover." Kagome corrected. "That's all you get."

"I'll take it." he smiled. "For now."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Sango hummed as she walked into her favorite coffee shop. She was in the mood for something hot, caffinated, and probably bad for her.

The place wasn't empty, but it wasn't full either. The perfect mix of customers and space that the place always seemed to maintain.

She stood in line behind the only other person at the counter, a man with slightly long black hair.

She ignored him as she dug into her bag for her wallet.

So she didn't see him get his coffee and turn.

And he didn't see her as he turned and slammed into her spilling coffee all over both of them.

"Oh,Kami!" he cried as Sango yelped at the heat. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry! Are you all right?"

"I'm okay, I'm okay." she assured him as she pulled her soaked shirt away from her body.

"Here, sir." the lady behind the counter handed him a roll of paper towels.

"I'm so sorry." he said handing them to her to wipe herself off.

"Forget it." Sango smiled at him. He was kind of cute. "No harm, no foul."

He smiled up at her as he bent down to clean up the coffee off the floor. "I'm so sorry, really."

"That's okay." Sango bent down and help him clean it up. "I probably shouldn't have stood that close to you."

He laughed as they cleaned the spill. "Well, that's 400 yen down the toilet."

Sango smiled. "Well, if you want, you can come back to my place with me and get some...coffee."

He smiled slowly as he caught her meaning. "My name's Miroku. Yours?"

"Sango." she smiled.

Miroku paused. "Would you, by any chance, know someone named Kagome?"

Sango blinked in surprise. "How did you know? Wait. Miroku. I know that name. You're Inuyasha's business partner."

"Yeah." they laughed as they marveled at the odds. "That's so crazy. Nice to actually meet you."

He held out his hand and Sango shook it. "Kagome didn't tell me you were so cute."

"Well, your voice sure sounded hot and I am not disappointed." he smirked. "So...coffee?"

"Coffee." Sango agreed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"That lazy, huh?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha finished his description of Miroku. "I'm surprised her hasn't been fired before."

"Well, he follows me around." Inuyasha said. "We've been friends since high school and every time I get a new job, he applies for one there as well. People have started thinking of us as a package deal. They think if they fire him I go too. Which just isn't true."

"Oh?" Kagome raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, it's a little true." he laughed.

They were sitting on a model of a car at about one-tenth size that was used as a bench. They were eating hotdogs from one of the venders as they talked.

"How about Sango?" he asked. "Been friend's long?"

Kagome shook her head. "She was assigned as my secretary when I made head of my department. She took a liking to me and just pestered me until she became my friend."

Inuyasha laughed. "Not shy about getting what she wants, huh?"

"Not at all." Kagome said. "If she wants it she takes it. No matter what it is."

"Kind of sounds like Miroku." Inuyasha chuckled. "We should introduce them some time."

"Yeah, we should." Kagome laughed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sango cried out in ecstasy as Miroku pounded her into the couch. He was grunting at the effort and her fingers were digging hard into his back, leaving marks.

Their clothes were scattered around the living room, but his pants hadn't made it all the way off, nor had her shirt. The air smelled of sweat and sex and was filled with the sounds of her moans and his.

"Harder, damn you! Harder!" Sango screached as she thrust her hips up to meet his.

"So fucking hot!" Miroku growled as he gropped her breasts.

"Yes! MORE!" Sango yelled in delight. "Fuck me!"

It wasn't making love, it was mating, pure and simple. The hot meeting of flesh and the slap of skin on skin. It was hot and fast and they came together in an explosive finish.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Did you have fun?" Inuyasha asked as he and Kagome left the show which would go on for a few hours more.

"I did." Kagome smiled.


	14. It Wasn't Comfortable

**wwwdotfictionpressdotcom/s/3000460/1/Deep_Sea**

**It Wasn't Comfortable**

It wasn't comfortable, she had been in positions much easier on her body than this, but she couldn't remember ever being so happy in her life.

Inuyasha had drawn a nice, hot bath, sat down in it, and had Kagome sit on him. There was a lot of water soaking the floor and them both and he had his legs up because they wouldn't fit it it with hers.

But the intimacy was amazing, being that close to him was so enjoyable. And they weren't doing anything sexual, they were talking, washing each other, laughing. And it was incredible.

"So, was Sango right?" Inuyasha asked as he soaped up her arms for her, washed her fingers in a strangely exciting way.

"About what?" Kagome asked, her head back against his shoulder as she watched his fingers weave and unweave through hers.

"Are you going to end up quiting in frustraition?" he asked as he kissed her neck. It wasn't sexual, it was familair and comfortable and loving. "Your job?"

"Hmm..." Kagome thought for a moment. "It wouldn't be...fiscally responsible to quit such a high paying job."

Inuyasha wondered at her pause but didn't remark on it. "But she's right. I don't like working for people like that."

"Well, I can't guarentee you'll get rich working for me." Inuyasha said. "But I can promise your boss wont be racist."

Kagome giggled softly. "i'll hold you to that, boss."

"It would be fun, you know." he said. "Working together, living together. And I still can't imagine ever getting tired of you."

"Corny." Kagome said, snuggling his neck.

"I have to admit, I'm a bit excited." he continued, running his hands over her abdomen. "Thinking about you pregnant is...exciting. I like the thought of it."

Kagome put her hand over his. "If my period is late I'll buy a test."

"And if it's positive?" Inuyasha asked going back to kissing her neck. This time, it was sexual.

"It's not like we have to worry about a shotgun wedding." Kagome joked.

"I want a real wedding." Inuyasha confided as he moved his hands up from her belly and began soaping up her breasts making it hard for her to focus on the conversation. "I want you to wear a white dress and I want an organ to play. I even want my dumb ass best friend to stand beside me. I want to swear myself to you again and hear you swear yourself to me."

"Corny and cheesy." Kagome said breathlessly as she wiggled her bottom against his growing errection.

"Maybe." he admitted. "But it's what I want all the same."

"Are you proposing?" Kagome asked pretty sure she would say 'yes' if only to keep him from stopping touching her like that.

"Not right now, love." he said wondering if they could make it back to the bed or if they would end up doing it on the bathroom floor and finding that he didn't care either way. "When you're more ready, but right now the only thing I'm proposing is us getting out of this tub and onto a more suitable surface."

"Gods, yes." Kagome agreed.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

"Well, well, well." Sango looked up from her keyboard as Kagome came into the office. "Aren't we late?"

"Am I?" Kagome looked at her wrist but her watch was gone. Had she forgotten to put it on, she hadn't realized.

"Guess who got their morning snuggles?" Sango said in a sing-song voice as Kagome walked past her into her office.

The changes in her friend were astounding. Her hair was down and a tad bit wild like she had brushed it and someone had run their fingers through it afterwords. She was wearing one of the suits Sango bought for her, lime green, but she hadn't put the jacket on and, instead, had a sort sleeved white dress shirt. She didn't look a thing like Kagome from a few months ago.

"Bite me." Kagome said as she sat at her desk. "My morning snuggles are my business."

"I wasn't referring to you, actually." Sango smirked. "You're not the only one getting her morning lovings."

"Sango." Kagome sighed. "Key witnesses can't be sleeping with the prosocution. You'll ruin the whole case."

"Okay, 1. that would be good for the company, and you, if I did sleep with Daseki. And 2. I wasn't refering to Daseki." Sango said. "I do have other male companions."

"One of your boy toys?" Kagome rolled her eyes.

"We consider each other friends with benefits." Sango smiled. "It'd be hard to be each others toys when we're probably going to end up working together."

Kagome paused, wondering when she had lost track of the conversation and gotten so lost. "What?"

"I met Miroku at my coffee shop this weekend." Sango smiled.

"Sango, you didn't." Kagome looked shocked. "You've never even met him before and you just hopped into bed with him."

"Well, not really the bed." Sango smiled a bit. "More like the couch. The counter. The floor. The-"

"I get the picture." Kagome frowned. "You don't even know him."

"So?" Sango shrugged. "I'm not the first person to ever jump into bed with a stranger. And since we have friends in common, I consider it a step or two above that. And it was a whole lot of fun."

"Sango." Kagome sighed. "For someone who reads romance novels, you sure aren't very romantic."

"We all have our definitions, darling." Sango winked. "So, how was your weekend'o'love?"

Kagome ignored her as she started up her computer.

"That good, huh?" Sango asked, sitting on her corner of Kagome's desk.

"I might be pregnant."

"Woh!" Sango nearly fell off. "What?"

"We didn't use protection the first time." Kagome said. "He was as far in as he could get when he...you know."

"Came." Sango said. "Ejaculated. Spurt. Climaxed. Jizzed. Or-"

"I get the picture." Kagome cut her off. "Can you focus."

"You should be writing these down." Sango laughed. "Some men like dirty talk. Miroku sure does."

"Way more than I wanted to know." Kagome said dully.

"So, what does Inuyasha think about the pregnancy scare?" Sango asked as she went back to her favorite game of play with the Newton's cradle.

"He's excited about it." Kagome said. "He said he'll be ecstatic if I am."

"And if you're not?" Sango asked.

Kagome blushed. "He said we can always keep trying to break the barriers."

Sango laughed out loud. "That's hilarious. That's why I always carry a few condoms with me."

"It's not that we didn't have any." Kagome said. "But by the time we thought of it we were already too far gone to care."

"I hate it when that happens." Sango said. "That's why it hasn't happened since, like, high school. I'm always prepared."

"Lucky you." Kagome sighed. "I've never even taken a pregnancy test before. I've never even been late for my period before."

"Lucky you." Sango repeated her words. "I've had real scares in that area. It's not pleasent."

"Get rid of your boy toys and you wont have to worry about it." Kagome grumbled.

"It's worth it." Sango laughed. "And you can't tell me that the sex isn't . I haven't seen you so relaxed in...well...ever, come to think of it."

Kagome rolled her eyes but she didn't deny it.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Well, I met Sango." Miroku said as he got out of his car. Inuyasha was just about to leave his and walk inside when Miroku pulled up. His friend of the perfect attendence was late, which should have told him something, but he was too busy thinking about how he got laid after less than 25 minutes whereas it took Inuyasha 25 years.

"I can smell her on you, you horndog." Inuyasha smirked. "Enjoy yourself did you?"

"Multiple times, actually." Miroku smirked. "And you?"

"Multiple times, actually." Inuyasha repeated as they walked into Yukia's garage for, what would be, their last day. From today on at 6 o'clock, Inuyasha was his own boss and a business man.

He had his woman at his side, his business was taking off, and he might even have a baby soon.

Could life get any better than that?

But he wasn't saying it aloud for fear of jinxing it.

"We're friends with benefits." Miroku continued. "I've always dreamed of such a thing but never thought it would happen."

"Because that never works." Inuyasha laughed. "You get attached sooner or later and someone always gets jelouse. I got money it's you."

"Hey!" Miroku glared. "Why me?"

"Because you get clingy." Inuyasha said thinking about how he hadn't gone anywhere since high school that Miroku hadn't followed him. Not that he minded but Miroku was a clinging vine. Though Inuyasha couldn't talk because he was worse. "Kagome might be pregnant."

"Haha." Miroku said without commenting more.

"I want to ask her to marry me again. Renew our vows." he continued.

"Haha." Miroku said again without any real cynisism.

"I want you to be my best man if she says yes."

"Haha!" Miroku laughed for real.

"Ten bucks says you get attached before Sango does."

"Ha. Ha." Miroku said sarcastically as he rolled his eyes. "I am not clingy."

"Neither are leeches." Inuyasha countered sarcastically. "And leech is just one letter from lech which is what you are. See the connections I'm making here?"

"Ass." Miroku said.


	15. Lookie, Lookie

**wwwdotfictionpressdotcom/s/3000460/1/Deep_Sea**

Thanks to FunniesKitten for helping me with this newest plot twist :D

**Lookie, Lookie**

"Lookie, lookie!" Sango laughed out loud as she brought out a gift basket from behind her back. "Ta-da!"

"Sango." Kagome glared at her.

Her friend had been taking this pregnancy thing far too lightly. She had been joking about it for a week. Showing up with pregnancy tests at first, that had been minorly amusing and would be useful if Kagome's period was late.

But then she had popped up with a teddy bear with two ribbons, one pink one blue, around his neck. Then had come the tower o' diapers. This time it was an elaborate gift basket full of baby powder, bottles, a pacifier, baby wipes, and a few gender neutral footsies and onesies.

"Isn't it cute?" Sango laughed. "I spent most of yesterday making it."

"What a great way to spend your time." Kagome glared. "Can you take this more seriously please?"

"I am." Sango hummed, amused at herself, as she walked behind Kagome's desk and placed the basket next to the tower o' diapers and teddy bear. The pregnancy test was safely at Kagome's house. "When you find out you're pregnant, you'll thank me."

"What makes you so sure I am pregnant?" Kagome asked.

"You're getting tired a lot quicker lately." Sango pointed out.

"Yeah, that's because I spend my nights at Inuyasha's and he's determined to make up for the 25 years of sexless marriage we've had." Kagome explained, annoyed.

"You're getting moody." Sango said next, sitting on the corner of Kagome's desk.

"If I'm not pregnant, than my period should be soon and I'm PMSing." Kagome countered.

"I can just feel it." Sango said. "Don't fight it, mommy. Accept it."

"You're annoying." Kagome grumbled as she returned to her paperwork. "Pregnancy is a serious business. Treat it as such."

"I know, I know." Sango shrugged, smiling a bit. "And I'm happy that you're pregnant-"

"Possibly pregnant." Kagome corrected.

"Possibly pregnant." Sango amended. "And I'm happy for you. You'll be a good mom."

Kagome smiled a bit. "You think so?"

"I know so." Sango smiled."Besides, my best friend is expecting, let me have some fun."

"Possible expecting." Kagome said but she smiled.

"So, Inuyasha's grand opening is tomorrow, right?" Sango asked, changing the subject.

Kagome nodded. "I've taken the day off to come and support him."

"Cool. I'm coming too." Sango said.

"Did you put in for time off?" Kagome asked.

"Nope." Sango smiled. "I'll just skip."

"You're going to get fired." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Fine with me. I already have my next job lined up." Sango laughed. "And I hear my new boss is a real nice guy. So, is Miroku going to be there?"

"Since he's going to work there, I expect so." Kagome said. "And you are shameless."

"I have fun." Sango corrected. "I've never met a man who completes me, sexually, so well."

"Too much." Kagome said dully.

"It's like he knows exactly what I want. It's great." Sango continued. "And there's no commitment. My favorite kind of relationship."

"You have intimacy issues." Kagome said.

"Not true." Sango looked a bit offended. "We've made love just as much...okay maybe not as much as we've rutted like dogs, but we have done the slow, sensual thing."

"Again, too much." Kagome said. "Didn't your momma ever teach you not to kiss and tell?"

"Guess not." Sango stuck her tongue out at her.

"Anyway, back to a normal topic," kagome said, "the grand opening is at nine. He's even getting a ribbon to cut."

Sango laughed. "Cute."

"He's excited." Kagome smiled. "I bought him a new work light to celebrate."

"Nice." Sango said. "But now I'm going to feel stupid showing up without a gift."

"I don't think a gift is necessary." Kagome said.

"Yeah, but now that you've done it I'm socially obligated to do the same." Sango smiled taking the sting from her words. "Nine, right? I'll be there."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Inuyasha sliced through the big red ribbong with a feeling of complete joy and Kagome, Miroku, and Sango cried out happily and clapped their hands.

"Congratulations." Kagome said coming forward and giving him a kiss.

"Woo!" Miroku yelled. They had been open for a few days now, doing business already. He had two customers, loyal to him from Yukia's, and they were clapping and laughing as well. They were also schedualed to have their cars worked on today.

"Alright! Party at Inuyasha's!" Sango yelled. She had brought a bottle of champaign as a gift, she thought it was a good celebration for all occasions gift. But she had already downed half of it and was just a little bit more than tipsy.

"We're working today, actually." Inuyasha said, his arm around Kagome's shoulder, keeping her by his side. "We can party after hours."

"Yeah, yeah." Sango leaned, a bit drunkily, againt Miroku. "Work, work, all day long. Singing our working so-o-ong!" she sang out happily."

"No more champaign for you." Kagome laughed. "How about you go into Inuyasha's office and sleep it off?"

"Can Miroku come with me?" she slurred.

"Sure." Inuyasha smiled. "Provided he's just dropping you off and he's back out here within three minutes."

"I can do it in three minutes." Miroku smirked.

"In that case," Inuyasha's face hadn't changed a bit, "she can take herself back there."

"Boring." Sango stuck her tongue out at him. Just then, the phone rang from inside and, like the seasoned secretary she was, Sango ran in and answered it and said, in a surprisingly sober voice, "Inuyasha's garage and car maintenence, how can I help you?"

"She has to be faking being that drunk." Inuyasha said.

"Nope." Kagome laughed, remembering. "She's come into work still drunk from the night before, or nursing a hell of a hangover, and be the chipipiest secretary on the phone."

"What a skill." Miroku laughed.

"Leech." Inuyasha smirking making Miroku glower at him.

"I've got work to do." Miroku said stomping off into the garage.

"You stay away from Sango!" Inuyasha called out to him. "I want the grand opening at least to be relatively sex free!"

"No promises!" Miroku yelled back.

Inuyasha and Kagome laughed.

"You know,'" Kagome turned to him, running her fingers down his chest, "we could sneak into your office and see what we can do in three minutes."

"Tempting." Inuyasha leaned down and started nipping playfully at her neck. "But I don't think I can settle for just three minutes."

Kagome giggled as she pushed him back. "You have customers, master mechanic."

"I know." he smiled a bit stupidly. "Isn't it great?"

Kagome laughed at the look on his face.

"Life is perfect, Kagome." he said, taking a deep breath of the morning air. The sky endless blue with only a few fluffy white clouds dotting it, the wind blowing the sweet smell of spring. "I have my customers, I have my friends, I have my wife. Life, Kagome, couldn't possibly be sweeter."

Kagome nodded in agreement as a man in a suit with lawyer writen all over him, stepped towards him.

"Inuyasha?" he asked, politely.

"That's me." Inuyasha nodded. "How can I help you?"

"Good evening." the lawyer nodded. "My name is Bengoshi. Shiri Bengoshi, how do you do?"

"Life is looking good, Shiri." Inuyasha said, beaming. "You need your car fixed?"

"No, no. Thank you." Bengoshi reached into his suit and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "I'm here merely to give you this."

"What's this?" Inuyasha took it, unconcerned until he opened it.

"It's a summons." Bengoshi said civily. "You're being sued."


	16. What?

**wwwdotfictionpressdotcom/s/3000460/1/Deep_Sea**

Thanks to FunniesKitten for helping me with this newest plot twist :D

Forgive me for forgetting that Momma Higurashi already found out about Inuyasha in chapter 7. Sometimes I forget what I've written especially since that this plot twist wasn't invented by me. I fit it in after I was given the idea and I didn't check to see how well it would fit or how many things happened in the past that would affect it. I'm fixing the scene with her mother right now because she already knew Inuyasha and Kagome were married. Sorry again.

**What?**

"What?" Inuyasha looked like someone had just bashed him upside the head with a board. "Sued? Why?"

"It' all there in the summons." Bengoshi smiled. "You two have a nice day."

"Let me see." Kagome snatched the paper out of Inuyasha's hands. Inuyasha was doing a very good impression of a landed fish.

"Hey, you two!" Sango, champaign bottle in her hand, came back out of the office. "Good news, we got another appointment today. Rolling in the dough! Hey, what's with you two? You look like your dog just got ran over."

"I'm being sued." Inuyasha answered, he sounded like he didn't wuite believe it. "I don't have the money to be sued."

"Sued for what?" Sango dropped the champaign and snatched the papers from Kagome. The bottle crashed and glass and champaign went everywhere.

"Oh, Inuyasha!" Kagome suddenly turned into his and hugged him tight.

"What? What's the matter?" he asked, pulled from his own distress by hers.

"Oh, gods..." Sango said reading the paper.

"What?" Inuyasha asked. "What does it say?"

Sango took a deep breath, feeling suddenly sober. "You're being sued...for illegal demonic possession."

XXXXXXXXXXxx

"I don't get it." Miroku said looking somber and serious, a strange look on his otherwise happy, go-lucky face. "What are they talking about?"

They had gone about the rest of the grand opening, the mood no longer so festive or happy. But they had customers they had to please before they could turn their attention to the summons. The doors were locked, the closed sign up, and they were looking with trepidation at the white papers.

"Some demons have the ability to put humans, and even other demons if they're strong enough, under possession." Sango answered him. She was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed, the alcohol having long drained from her system. "It's extremely illegal."

"How illegal?" Miroku asked.

"Like, I'll-go-to-jail-for-the-rest-of-my-life illegal." Inuyasha said. He was sitting behind his desk, watching the papers like they were some ind of poisonous snake that hadn't yet decided if it wanted to bite him. Kagome was on his lap, cradling his head against her chest in a move that was both comforting and protective.

"You serious?" Miroku looked shocked. "Who's being possessed here? And who's accusing?"

"Hojo." Kagome snarled, hatred for her ex running hot in her veins. "He thinks I've been bespelled by Inuyasha."

"But it's really hard to prove." Sango said, looking hopeful. "That will make it harder for him right?"

Inuyasha shook his head sadly, dashing her hopes. "The easiest way to tell if someone has been bespelled is a sudden, severe personality shift."

"Shit!" Sango cried thinking about Kagome's sudden and severe personality shift.

"I'm so sorry, Inuyasha." Kagome said, tears welling up in her eyes. "This is all my fault."

"No, no." Inuyasha shook his head. "This is no one's fault."

"So, what's going to happen?" Miroku asked. "If the judge agrees with Hojo? What happens to you?"

"I go to jail." Inuyasha said. "Illegal demonic possession, kidnap, rape, assault, theft; pretty much every charge short of muder."

"Shit." Miroku copied Sango, dragging a hand through his hair. "But it's not true! You can't do that! If you could you would have told me!"

"No, I can't do that." Inuyasha sighed. "Dog demons can't do that. We pretty much just run fast, jump high, and hit hard. Besides that, I'm a half demon anyway, that halves my power automatically."

"But Hojo's bringing up those charges anyway?" Miroku asked.

Inuyasha nodded. "Those who can bespell people rarely tell you they can bespell you. It makes it hard to make friends because they're always questioning if they like you by their own free will or not. It will be hard to prove I haven't bespelled her."

"What do we do?" Sango asked. "We need a lawyer? A miracle, what?"

"A lawyer." Kagome nodded, her reasonable, get things done, side kicking in. "The best we can afford."

"I don't have the money for that." Inuyasha said, forlorn. "Everything I have is invested in this place."

"Inuyasha, we're married." Kagome reminded him. "We have been since long before I met Hojo. Everything that's mine is yours. You can use my money."

Inuyasha smiled thankfully up at her. Then he frowned and his face fell. "They're going to take you from me. Sequester you, from me at least." he burried his face in her chest, taking a deep breath of her scent. "Sometimes, a possession will lose it's power if it's not renewed regularly or a certain distance is put between us. So they'll keep you away from me until the judge makes his ruling."

"No..." Kagome whimpered. She had had more fun these last few weeks with Inuyasha than she had had in two years.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Sango jumped foward. "What if Kagome_ is_ pregnant?"

They froze and all eyes went to Kagome's abdomen and Inuyasha put his hand over her belly lovingly but sadly.

"I don't know." Inuyasha said. "If I do go to prison-"

"Wait!" Kagome cut him off, getting protective of her unborn, and as yet unconfirmed, child and the father of said unborn, and unconfirmed, child. "We're acting like he's already been sentenced! Why don't we start by getting a lawyer, a proffessional, to tell us whether or not to worry."

Inuyasha smiled up at her. "You're right. Of course you're right. We can beat this, right? You're not actually bespelled and Hojo is an ass."

"Glad you two can be so optimistic." Sango grumbled, crossing her arms. "This freakin' sucks!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kagome walked into her house cautiously. If she remembered correctly, her grandfather would be at his yearly doctor exam so her mom should be home alone. "Mama? You here?"

"In the kitchen baby." she heard her call back.

Kagome followed her voice to the room and saw her mom cleaning dishes. "Hey, ma. What you doing?"

"Cleaning." she said then pushed out her cheek as Kagome came by and let her daughter give her a quick peck.

"You should have called dear, I would have had tea ready for you."

"Actually, I've got something kind of important to tell you." Kagome said nervously.

"Oh, about what?" her mother asked, looking at her daughter a bit concerned because of the tone of her voice.

"You remember Inuyasha, right?" she asked.

"Of course, dear. My brand new, old son-in-law." she laughed. "Such an amazing story really. You should sell it to the tabloids or something."

"Yeah." Kagome bit her lip, a bit anxious. "Well, we're having some problems right now."

"What kind of problems baby?" her mother asked.

"He's being sued." Kagome said, trying to get it over with quickly.

"Sued!" she looked shocked.

"By Hojo." Kagome finished.

"Goodness!" she cried.

"Hojo thinks Inuyasha's put me under a bespellment or possession or something." Kagome said. "And he hasn't, I know he hasn't, his friends know he hasn't. Hojo is just being a complete...well, not very nice about the whole thing. And we need your help as a witness."

"A witness." she repeated, trying to keep up with all the information she was suddenly being given.

"Yeah." Kagome smiled sheepishly. "We need you to testify that I'm still me. If the judge agreed with Hojo, Inuyasha will be in a lot of trouble, mom."

Her mom walked on shakey legs to the table and sat down. "I can't believe this..."

"I know it's a lot to take in." Kagome said, following her. "But it's true. And...there's more."

"Kagome!" her mother looked shocked.

"I might be pregnant." Kagome said. "Me and Inuyasha, we...well...you know...and we weren't careful that first time." Kagome wouldn't have mentioned a pregnancy that might not even be except that her mother would want the father of her grandchild in her grandchild's life, not in prison. "And I...I really do care about him, mama. Please, we need your help."

Mrs. Higurashi sighed and smiled a bit. "Alright, dear. I'll help. Do you love him?"

"I..." Kagome hesitated. "I don't know. I might. He's so much fun and he loves me so much that he doesn't care that

I might not love him. He wants to get remarried, renew our vows, you know."

"And are you going to?" she asked.

"He hasn't officially asked me yet." Kagome admitted. "But I'm going to think about it. If I am pregnant it's a definate yes."

"And if not?" her mom asked next.

"If not..." Kagome held her breath for a moment, thinking. "If not...I don't know. I just don't know yet."

Her mother stood up and wrapped her daughter in her arms, holding her close. "I'll help you baby, you and him both.

You're not so weak as to fall under the possession of a demon. Besides, your grandfather is a priest, that will help your case a lot."

"Yeah, but mom, Gramps can't purify anything." Kagome pointed out. "He has no spiritual powers."

"Yes." her mother winked. "But the court wont know that will they?"

Kagome laughed, feeling a bit better. Talking to her mother always made her feel better.


	17. Inuyasha

**wwwdotfictionpressdotcom/s/3000460/1/Deep_Sea**

**Inuyasha**

Inuyasha held Kagome's hand in his as they made their way through the office buildings of the lawyer they had chosen. They had called ahread yesterday and booked their appointment. According to Miroku who had used him on a previous occasion, this guy was the best.

"He's a bit of an asshole." he has told them. "But I wouldn't want anyone else on my side when it comes to keeping my ass out of jail."

"Have much experience with that, do you?" Inuyasha had asked, a bit concerned. He had known Miroku a long time, he didn't remember Miroku ever needing the services of a criminal attorney.

"Just call him." Miroku had rolled his eyes as he gave him the phone number.

The man's secretary had told them to show up today at 3 giving their attorney plenty of time to read up on the charges against Inuyasha and find out what he could do and how much it would cost.

"Hello." the black haired, green eyes secretary said as they walked in. "Takahashi?"

"Yes. That's us." Inuyasha said.

"Great." she smiled, but it wasn't a welcome smile. It was a I-have-to-say-this-but-I-don't-mean-it smile. "Go right on in. He's waiting for you."

"Ready?" Inuyasha asked Kagome as they walked to the door.

"I just want this over with." Kagome sighed as Inuyasha knocked.

"Come in." a dark, male voice called.

They entered and saw their lawyer, a man with long black hair and demonic red eyes.

"Welcome." he said, his smile sickeningly dark. "Inuyasha and Kagome, I presume."

"That's right." Inuyasha stepped forward fearlessly and sat down, Kagome following after hesitating a second.

"Well, I've looked over your case." the lawyer said. "And I do believe I can help. I'm not cheap, but I'm damn good."

"I'll be the one paying you." Kagome spoke up. "How much?"

The man considered them for a second. Then quoted a figure. "Per hour."

Kagome didn't flinch but Inuyasha did. "All right. Deal."

"Wonderful." the man nodded.

"Well, Mr. Onigumo-"

"Please." he cut of Kagome. "Call me Naraku. I feel like we're friends already."

Inuyasha didn't like him. He had this way about him that reminded him of used motor oil. Nasty, dark, and gooy. But if it would keep him out of jail, he could deal with an asshole.

"Well, Naraku," Kagome continued where she left off, "you've had a chance to look over the summons. What are your thoughts?"

"Well, this is the thing." he said. "It's basically Hojo's word versus Inuyasha's word. You, Mrs. Takahashi, have absolutely no say because you have absolutely no credibility."

"Makes sense." Kagome nodded. It had been decided by both her and Inuyasha that she would take care of the lawyer aspect. She had the money and she was the more reasonable of them. "I've already spoken to my mother about being a witness."

"That will help." Naraku said, leaning back in his comfy chair. "After all, who knows you better than your mother? What else you got?"

"My grandfather is a priest." Kagome said. "Although, and since you're our lawyer, I feel I should warn you, he has no spiritual powers."

"But the court doesn't know that, do they?" Naraku asked, smirking. "That's even better. Your grandfather says a couple of words, slaps a scroll on your forhead, nothing happens. Looks good to the court."

"Wait." Inuyasha stopped him. "Aren't you going to ask if I did possess her?"

Naraku snorted. "Please. Dog demons can barely possess objects, much less people. So what could a half breed do?"

Inuyasha didn't like the way he said half breed but he let it go. He would rather have a ruthless lawyer than a politically correct one. "Fair point. Continue."

"Let's see, according to my research, you two have been married...25 years?" Naraku looked a bit surprised. "Now that's an interesting story."

"Will getting married so long ago help?" Kagome asked.

"Well, let's think." he said. "A three year old and a four year old demon somehow manage to get married and neither complain. No, that won't look good. Use your head, sugar princess."

"Hey!" Inuyasha was about to jump up to her defense but Kagome put a calming hand over his.

"We did get both of our parents signatures." Kagome pointed out.

"So you did." Naraku admitted. "But as both of them are dead, we can hardly ask for their testimonies, can we, sugar princess?"

Inuyasha growled at how insulting their lawyer was being but Kagome didn't really care. She wanted the asshole of a lawyer. She wanted her lawyer to be a complete and total dick. Because lawyers that were the kind of guys people flipped off as they passed didn't care about anything but getting what they wanted. And considering his prices, what he wanted was money. And the way to get it was to win.

"My mother can help with that." Kagome pointed out. "She already knows everything and is willing to lie if she has to."

"That's good." Naraku smirked. "And what brought out the perjurer in mommy dearest?"

"I might be pregnant." Kagome said.

"That's good." Naraku said. "I can use that. No one likes to break up families and pregnant chicks always manage to look so pathetic to judges."

"I didn't say I was I said I might be." Kagome clearified.

"Either way." he shrugged. "Father of your child sounds like a good reason to be lenient if nothing else."

"Or it's grounds for rape." Inuyasha pointed out.

"That too." Naraku said. "It just depends on our judge."

"Who is our judge?" Kagome asked.

Naraku looked at his computer and typed a few jeys. "Her Honor Shoheki. I've worked with her before. She's fair. Boring, but fair."

"That's good." Kagome said. "At least we have that in our favor."

"Now, tell me about Hojo." Naraku leaned forward listening intently. "Tell me everything and leave nothing out."

XXXXXXXXXXXX

It was with heavy hearts that Kagome and Inuyasha went to bed that night.

They were just laying together, staring at the opposite wall, Kagome cuddled up to his chest, enjoying their presense.

"I don't like this." she said unhappily. "Why did this have to happen?"

Inuyasha sighed. "I don't know...I'm sorry, Kagome."

"Don't be. I'm not." Kagome smiled up at him.

"I love you." Inuyasha said leaning down to capture her lips. "I love you." he repeated as he lowered her back.  
>Kagome let him kiss all the bad thoughts out of her mind.<p>

He whispered sweet nothings to her, comforting her with his words and his hands as he slowly removed her new, purple satin teddy nightgown from her body.

Kagome felt her heartbreak a bit from how tender he was being and knowing that she would have to give this up soon.

To be quite honest, she wouldn't really care if Inuyasha had bespelled her. She couldn't remember ever being so happy in her life. There was a sort of easy happiness that came with just being with him. Watching TV was funner when he was near, driving down the road was mor relaxing with him driving. And even cars, something she had seen only as a method of transportation, were more interesting when he explained them.

She pressed her hand against his chest and he obligingly rolled over so she was on top of him, never once breaking their kiss.

Inuyasha couldn't believe how lucky he was, in spite of everything. He had an amazing woman on his arms and he would probably trade his entire business, what he had strived for for years, just to keep her. But he didn't need to because she wanted him to keep it and would give up what she had to stay.

She was angelic, perfect. There was nothing quite so amazing as watching he observe a situation with that reasonable cool head of hers, then seeing her tear up at it a second later because of her romantic heart.

She leaned back, sitting on top of his and he marveled. Such perfectly smooth skin, perfect breasts, and that scent that never ceased to tantalize his nose.

She ran her hands up and and down his chest and Inuyasha relished in the feel of her skin against his.

"I'm going to miss you." he said, trailing the back of his hand up and down the inside of her thighs. "When they take you away."

"I will, too." Kagome smiled. "But we'll beat this, I know we will. Then we can be together and just leave Hojo out of our lives forever."

"Forever sounds good." Inuyasha smiled. "As long as it's with you."

"Corny, very corny." Kagome admonished but she leaned down and kissed him once. "But I love it."

"I know you do." He smiled back.

Kagome ran her hand up his chest and let it rest on the curve of his neck. "And I love you."

"What?" Inuyasha sat them up, looking at her in disbleif. "What did you say?"

"You heard me." Kagome siled happily at him.

"I heard you but I want to hear it again." he said, beaming.

Kagome shook her head. "Once is enough, I think."

Inuyasha pouted, then flipped her back over on her back. "Please? I want to hear it again."

Kagome laughed as she wrapped her hands around his neck. "I love you, Inuyasha.

He let out a deep breath, as if he had been holding it for a long time. "It's so great to hear that."

Kagome smiled. "We'll beat this Hojo thing. And then we can move on."

"Get remarried?" he asked.

"One thing at a time." she said, still smiling. "But maybe."

"I love it when you're all reasonable." he smiled, leaning down to kiss her again.


	18. Sango

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****Don't forget to leave your thanks for my new beta, Angel of Love and Fluffy Stuff. It's with her aide that I shall now be presenting you these chapters.

**Sango**

Sango was in her office when Kagome came into work that morning.

"Oh, hey." Sango turned and smiled at her. "Good morning."

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked suspiciously.

"Nothing." Sango said quickly, too quickly. "Uh, sleep well?"

"Well enough." Kagome walked around her and put her briefcase on the desk top. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Sango repeated.

"…O-kay." Kagome said, deciding not to press the issue. Sango would tell her when she got bored of keeping it a secret. "Well, I have something to tell you."

"What?" Sango asked.

"Ha!" Kagome said loudly, pointing at her.

"What was that for?" Sango asked as she wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion.

"I got my period this morning," Kagome replied smugly while crossing her arms victoriously. "You spent all that money on baby stuff for nothing."

"Oh...that." Sango laughed nervously. "You know, that was childish of me. I shouldn't have done that. All those things, just completely juvenile."

"Are you dying?" Kagome imediately asked, concerned at her friend's sudden change in behavior.

"No, no." Sango looked away as she wringed her hands. "Kagome, I'm late."

"No, actually you're on time." Kagome said looking at her watch. "I think I'm the one late again. I need to curb that before it becomes a habit. But Inuyasha likes cuddling in the mornings and, quite honestly, I do too."

"Not that kind of late, Kagome." Sango said quietly.

"Well, what kind..." Kagome trailed off as the meaning of Sango's words hit her. "Oh. Oh my..."

"Yeah." Sango tried smiling but it looked more like she had a toothache.

"…Ha HA!" Kagome punched the air victoriously.

She turned, beaming evilly and as she gathered the gift basket, the tower o' diapers, and the teddy bear. She turned back and slammed each one on Sango's desk with a, "Ha! Ha! HA!"

"Yeah, yeah. Get it all out." Sango rolled her eyes but took the abuse. She wasn't a hypocrite, she had given it and it was only fair that she got it back.

Kagome laughed, the evil in her expression fading as she went around her desk and hugged Sango. "You deserved it." she told her, squeezing her friend tight. "Now, did you take a test?"

"No." Sango shook her head. "That's why I was in here. I was trying to see if you had any of those tests I gave you here."

"No, took them all home." Kagome replied. "I put them under the bathroom sink."

"You mean, Inuyasha's place?" Sango asked and Kagome nodded. "Damn. I can't get them back without him knowing. And if he finds out he'll tell Miroku."

"Are you sure it's Miroku's?"

Sango looked a bit insulted. "Of course!"

"Just checking," Kagome laughed. "I know you."

"Not funny." Sango sat down in the chair in front of Kagome's desk. "What'll I do, Kagome?"

"First, take the test and see what it says." Kagome ordered. "Then, plan from there. No use assuming when you don't know for sure."

"True." Sango nodded. "Now I have to go buy another test. Damn…"

Kagome took her hand in her own. "Don't worry so much, Sango. I'll be here for you, no matter what."

Sango smiled up at her. "I know. Oh, by the way. Boss wants to see you."

"Which one?"

"All of them."

XXXXXXXXXXX

'All' of Kagome's bosses consisted of five people. The president & CEO of the company and a panal of four guys under him each in charge of a different division.

"You called me, sir?" she said, addressing the president as she walked in. That it was the president himself, not her immediate boss two seats down, that had been the one to call her in worried her a bit.

"Come in, Ms. Higurashi." he said beckoning her forward.

All five men were seated at a long wooden table with about a dozen empty chairs that they didn't bother to invite her to sit in. The president was seated at the head looking at her over the belly his well-cut suit didn't quite hide.

"We've received some interesting news, Ms. Higurashi." he began as she stood at the opposite side of the table.

"And what is that, sir?" Kagome asked.

"We've heard that you're being sued." a man on the end said.

"Well, actually, no." Kagome said, feeling suddenly nervouse and extremely apprehensive. "My, uh, husband is. Inuyasha, he's being sued fo-"

"For illegal demonic possession." the president cut her off as he said the words, emphasizing each one.

They all stared at her, their corporate expressions hard and unforgiving as they waited for her to confirm or deny it.

"Yes sir, that is true, but-"

"So, you are possessed?" the man on the president's immediate right asked.

"No." Kagome assured them. "I'm completely in my right mind, sir. My ex-fiancee is suing him for that to get him in trouble. It's not true, sir, not at all."

"Still, you can see why we're concerned." the president said, folding his hands on the table.

"You are a rather high up individual in our company, Ms. Higurashi, and, of course, each of our employees are precious." Kagome resisted the urge to scoff. "Not to mention the potential damage that can be done to us if a demon _has _possessed you."

"It's fine." Kagome reiterated. "Hojo is just overreacting and-"

"Is he?" the president asked. "Demons are not like humans, Ms. Higurashi. They don't have the same moral code as we do. One of them might just actually-"

"Now wait just a minute!" Kagome cut him off and she saw five pairs of glasses flash at the interruption. "Just because they're demons doesn't mean they aren't good, law-abiding citizens like the rest of us."

"Ms. Higurashi, please." the president said, trying to calm her sudden flash of temper. "We just want to protect the company and our employees. Now, if a demon has threatened you or possessed you, it's okay to come forward. We can help."

"No, thank you," Kagome replied stiffly. "I'm fine. The last thing I need is your help concerning a demon matter."

"Now, what does that mean, Ms. Higurashi?" the man on the far left asked in a low tone.

"Just that I don't approve of this companies policies when it comes to the demon people," Kagome said. It felt good to finally get that off her chest. She had been waiting to say that to these men for a while now. "Mitsuki cost our company millions with his last racism lawsuite. And he's about to do it again! And instead of firing him, like you _should _have done before, you've given him a lawyer, job security, and are just not caring while he rips into company profits and budgets."

"Ms. Higurashi," The president said, a dangerous gleam in his eye. "I don't believe you are allowed to speak to me in such a manner."

"Somebody should." Kagome snapped. "This company is wrong and-"

"We care, Ms. Higurashi." the man on the far right said.

"No, your commercials say 'you care'," Kagome spat out. "And it's all a heaping pile of bull shit!"

"Ms. Higurashi!" the president looked astonished.

"I've been wondering for a long time why I'm still even here!" Kagome said, on a roll now. "Who wants to work for a company so depraved that they don't care when racism costs them millions? I am damn good at what I do, and I don't have to work here."

"Is this your way of asking for a raise?" the man to the president's immediate left asked, raising his eyebrow.

"No, sir." Kagome replied, holding her chin up proudly. "This is my way of quiting!"

She turned and walked out, her head high. She didn't even slam the door, which she thought was rather adult of her.

But she did smile triumphantly as she walked back to her office to pack her things.

"So, how did it go?" Sango asked as she walked in.

"I quit." Kagome beamed.

Sango gaped like a fish as Kagome walked past her into her office.

"Wow," Sango stood and followed her in. "Like, _quit, _quit?"

"It's done." Kagome said grabbing her personal things. She could buy new pens and paper, and leave all that mess for whatever loser they got to replace her.

"Nice." Sango laughed. "Give me a sec to pack my things."

"You're actually coming with me?" Kagome asked, turning to grin at her.

"I said I would, didn't I?" Sango smiled back. "You're going to be my baby's God Mama and you're my best friend. I'd follow you anywhere."

"Thanks, Sango." Kagome said as she picked up her Newton's Cradle. "Inuyasha will be happy."

"So, did you really let them have it?" Sango asked as she went back into her part of the office and started gathering her things.

"I hope so." Kagome laughed, feeling free. She felt like she could take on a mountain or Hojo in court and win both battles.

"Your lawyer isn't going to be happy though." Sango warned.

"Why not?" Kagome asked, as she left her half of the office. She didn't have many personal affects.

"Well, this certainly is a point in the 'drastic personality change' department, isn't it?" Sango asked, wincing a bit.

"Oh...damnit!" Kagome cursed. But she couldn't undo it and she wouldn't either. Naraku could chew her out about it but she wanted this. "Well, screw it."

"Thatta girl!" Sango laughed.

Kagome set her stuff on Sango's desk and picked up her phone.

"Who you calling?" Sango asked, happy to get her mind off of her potential pregnancy to deal with Kagome's issues.

Kagome didn't respond, she just finished typing in the phone number and waited.

Two rings later, Inuysha picked up.

"_Hello?"_

"Inuyasha," Kagome started proudly, "I quit!"


	19. Case Number 342

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Don't forget to leave your thanks for my new beta, Angel of Love and Fluffy Stuff. It's with her aide that I shall now be presenting you these chapters.

**Case Number 342**

"Case number 342, Hojo Imaki versus Inuyasha Takahashi." the baliff read out from his clipboard as the Her Honor, Justice Shoheki put away the file from the previous case and pulled the next one toward her.

Shoheki was an elderly woman, her hair had completely gone white and was pulled up in a tight bun. Her dark eyes still flashed with intelligence despite her age. She opened the file and the words '_illegal demonic possession'_ were printed right there in black in white.

Her Honor Shokei waved her hands to encourage them to come forward.

"The prosocution, Hojo Imaki is suing Inuyasha Takahashi on the grounds of illegal demonic possession in regards to one Kagome Higurashi who choses to stand today with Inuyasha Takahashi." the baliff lowered the clipboard as six people stood and walked up to the podiums.

Hojo and his lawyer went to sit at the table on the judge's left, the prosocution's table. Inuyasha, Kagome, Mrs. Higurashi, and Naraku went to the defendant's table on her right.

Both parties were quiet as the judge read over the file.

She finished and sat back. "Alright. I'll hear from the prosocution first."

Hojo looked at his lawyer who nodded once, smiling at his client.

Shiri Bengoshi stood and spoke clearly, smiling pleasently. "Your honor, my client is here today out of nothing but concern for Miss Higurashi. He knows her very well, you honor. Was engaged to be married to her only a few short months ago.

"However, when they went to get a liscence, they discovered that Miss Higurashi is, in fact, already married and has been for 25 years to Mr. Takahashi."

"Yes." The judge said. "That is quite interesting. Mr. Takahashi? Do you want to tell me how you got married at..." she consulted her papers, "only 3 and 4 years old?"

Naraku smiled. "My client assures me that he got both his and her parent's consent for the marriage. It is completely legal and was done before Ms. Higurashi met Mr. Imaki. Mrs. Higurashi is here today to confirm that she knew of the marriage."

The judge nodded and turned back to Bengoshi, Hojo's lawyer. "Continue."

"Well, after a small lovers spat," he continued making Kagome scoff but a look from Naraku kept her from talking, "Kagome called off their engagement."

"Was this before or after she met Mr. Takahashi?" the judge asked, making a note.

"After." he said. "Mr. Takahashi was very interested in Miss Higurashi from the first."

"Who wouldn't be?" The judge cracked a small smile. "If I found out I had been married for 25 years I'd be interested too."

"It is my client's belief that Mr. Takahashi knew all along." Bengoshi said. "That, after meeting her again, he possessed her in order to steal her away for himself."

"Oh, that's bull!" Kagome jumped up, unable to hold her piece. "We broke up because you're a-"

Hojo chose that moment to stand up and yell back, making Inuyasha stand and yell meaning no one was heard.

The judge banged her gavel, called them back to attention. "Quiet, Ms. Higurashi. Mr. Imaki, sit down."

Her Honor Shoheki tried again to get Hojo's side of the story.

But not five minutes into what he said happened, Inuyasha was yelling again. Hojo yelled back, Kagome yelled and the judge had to call them back to attention.

"People, please!" she said, irritated. "If you don't calm down I will have the baliff escort you out!"

"Your honor." Naraku stood, smiling as well. "I move to postpone this hearing until my clients can get ahold of themselves."

"Naraku," the judge looked at him without affection, "none of your tricks. I want a fair trail from both sides."

"I want the same, your honor." Naraku lied smoothly. "But seeing the source of their distress has obviously upset my clients, I think we should move the court date to a later day to-"

"I object!" Bengoshi cried. "His clients are upset? How do you think my client feels being forced to see the woman he loves being possessed by a demon with absolutely no moral codes. If anyone has a reason to be upset here, it's Mr. Imaki!"

"Children, please." Her Honor Shoheki glared. "The subject of illegal demonic possession is a very serious matter. If Ms. Higurashi _is_ possessed I only want to help her and if not I want Mr. Imaki to get over the fact that he was dumped. Illegal demonic possession is a serious charge and if you two don't get your act together you'll get both of your clients in trouble."

"Then I move for a recess." Naraku said. "To give me time to get my clients under control."

"Rediculous!" Bengoshi said. "His clients are fine!"

"Fifteen minute recess." the judge said banging her gavel. It had been a few hours since her last break anyway, she didn't see the harm in it.

"Yes, your honor." Bengoshi said unhappily.

"Thank you, your honor." Naraku grinned in triumph.

He and Bengoshi glared at each other as the baliff let Hojo leave first, not wanting the group to fight in court.

"What are you idiots doing?" Naraku demanded to know of Kagome and Inuyasha the moment they left the courtroom. Mrs. Higurashi had run to the bathroom.

"I'm sorry." Inuyasha said not looking the least bit sorry as he crossed his arms. "That guy is annoying."

"I don't care." Naraku said firmly. "I'm not losing this case because you two were being dumb asses and shooting your mouths off."

"We wont do it again." Kagome promised as she laid a comforting hand on Inuyasha's arm. His muscles were tense under her touch.

"Make sure you don't." he said. "Now excuse me, I'm going to have a chat with Hojo's ass-lawyer."

He walked around them and left them alone.

"We really do need to behave." Kagome said, smiling sheepishly up at him. "We don't want to lose this because we were letting him get to us."

Inuyasha sighed. "At least the judge hasn't demanded that you be kept from me."

Kagome nodded, smiling.

A few days ago, Naraku had called with the news that the judge wouldn't demand their seperation for the duration of the trail.

"She says observing you two naturally will be better than keeping you apart." he had told them.

As Sango predicted, he hadn't been happy to find out that she had quit. Nor had he been all that thrilled to find out that she had got her period. But when Kagome had suggested that he might not be able to do it, he had snorted and informed her that he could win despite her annoying bodily functions.

Inuyasha hadn't been so happy to smell her period that morning either. But he had kissed her neck affectionately and promised that they could try again as often as they wanted.

Sango was mid-denial, refusing to take a pregnancy test. "It might just be late and I might start any day now." she had said after she and Kagome had bought a new pregnancy test.

Kagome didn't point out that periods weren't all that often 2 weeks late. Sango didn't need to be at the doctor quite yet, she could let her friend try and deny it a while longer.

And she had her hands full at the moment with court.

"I'm going to go talk to mom." Kagome said carressing his cheek. "Will you try not to get in trouble by yourself?"

"No promises." Inuyasha smirked a bit.

Kagome turned and walked the opposite direction Naraku had gone towards the bathroom.

No sooner had she turned the corner that she ran into, of all people, Hojo.

"Kagome." her ex-fiancee beamed at her. "I really wanted to talk to you."


	20. I Have Nothing

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Don't forget to leave your thanks for my new beta, Angel of Love and Fluffy Stuff. It's with her aide that I shall now be presenting you these chapters.

**I Have Nothing**

"I have nothing to say to you, Hojo." Kagome said, swirving to try and avoid him.

"No." he stepped back into her path. "Please, Kagome. Just-"

"Go. Away." Kagome told him, glaring a bit.

"Listen, I know your're angry with me." he said as they did a parody of a dance, her trying to get around him and him blocking her way.

Kagome, realising how rediculous it looked, stopped and glared. "More than just angry. Now, move._ Please._"

"At least your manners haven't been affected by your possession." he laughed a bit.

"Screw you, Hojo." Kagome went to step around him again but he was too quick for her.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry." he looked a bit appologetic. "Can you, please, just hear me out."

Kagome sighed and crossed her arms, "You have 60 seconds."

"Alright." he said. "I guess that will do. Look, I know you're angry. And, you have every reason to be."

Whatever Kagome expected him to say, that wasn't it. "Uh...yeah. I do." she agreed, a bit puzzled.

"You think I'm out to destroy your relationship and happiness." he continued.

Kagome nodded. "Can't argue so far."

"And you probably hate me right now." he finished.

"Three for three." Kagome said sarcastically. "Is that all?"

"I just want you to know I understand and I'm not mad." he smiled gently and Kagome had to fight back the urge to punch him in his face.

"_You're_ not mad?" she repeated darkly. "What possible reason could you have to be mad?"

"It's all a bit crazy right now," he continued, "and everything is sort of...nuts. But when the dust settles, me and you are back together, and you're no longer possessed, you're going to thank me. I just want to make it clear now that I have no aninimity whatsever."

Kagome stared at him a moment in disbelief. Could he really...there was just no way he actually... "Hojo...you _actually_ believe that I'm possessed."

Hojo nodded. "And it's okay. I'll still be here when you-"

"How can you possibly be that dense?" Kagome cut him off. "When have I ever given any indication _ever_ that I wasn't in my right mind?"

"You quit your job," Hojo said, "your wardrobe change, you broke off an engagement and started a new relationship in the same week, and your personality is so much more hostile and...radical than it used to be."

"This is how I am!" Kagome said frustraited. "This is how I actually think and Inuyasha doesn't mind it one bit. He likes the way I am."

"That's not you, Kagome." Hojo insisted. "And when we're back together-"

"Woh, woh, woh!" Kagome stopped him. "We are never getting back together. If, knock on wood, you _do_ win this case and Inuyasha has to spend the rest of his life in jail because you are a total asshole, I'm going to be baking him a cake with a file in it."

"Kagome." Hojo looked shocked.

"There will be conjugal visits," she continued, "where we will have sex as often as possible. There will be appeals until he is released or he is dead. We might even have children together and a wedding in the prison church all while he's incarcerated for something he didn't do. It will be the happiest time we can make of it and I will not let something like prison bars keep us apart.

"But, Hojo, no matter what happens, this I can promise you. I will never, ever return to you." she told him, perfectly serious. "You seem to have forgotten that you are a racist pig that I can't stand to look at. And if you ruin this chance of me living happily with the man I love without having to worry about visitation hours, I will never forgive you. There's a good chance I will never forgive you now, in fact. Do you understand that?"

Hojo, throughout Kagome's speech, hadn't lost his sad little smile. And when he opened his mouth and his next words came out, Kagome flinched with the urge to punch him.

"That's just the possession talking, sweetie-pie." he said. "He's in your head and I'm going to help you get him out."

Kagome sighed deeply. "You really have forgotten the whole 'racist' issue, haven't you?"

"They're not lik us, Kagome." Hojo told her. "They aren't. It's not even a matter of skin color. They are different from us on every level. They aren't like us, they're different."

"Different is good!" Kagome said, exasperated. "I love him the way he is. I wouldn't have him any other way."

"It's wrong, Kagome." Hojo looked distressed that she wasn't getting this simple concept that he had grasped already. "It's like letting your dog have sex with you."

"Which I would still rather do than have sex with you." Kagome snapped. "And it's nothing like that anyway. Not like a racist dumb ass would understand anyway. Now, your sixty seconds are up!"

She tried to walk around him again but he blocked her again, starting their dance up again.

"Hojo, get out of my way!" Kagome cried out, frustraited.

"I just want to tell you how much I love you." he said sadly. "All I want to do is help."

"What you're doing is the opposite of help." Kagome told him.

"What is going on here?" Naraku demanded as he walked up, his eyes flashing dangerously. "What are you doing to my client, Mr. Imaki?"

"Nothing." Hojo looked away from Naraku. "We were just talking."

"Yeah, well anything she said is inadmissable." Naraku told him. "Sugar princess, you get back to the courtroom before you comprimise my case any further."

Kagome sighed. Naraku was annoying but at least she wasn't having ot do that stupid dance with Hojo anymore.

She turned to her ex to tell him off, get the last word so to speak, but the total heartbreak in his eyes stopped her.

He actually believed she was possessed, with all of his heart. If she was, which she wasn't, it would be the most painful thing to see. Watching your love be stolen away against her will.

"Look, Hojo," Kagome said, her anger calming, "I know that ,in your own stupid way, you're trying to help. You actually think you're doing what's right. I can...respect that. A bit."

He looked up at her with a little hope in his eyes.

"That doesn't mean you're right or that I forgive you." Kagome told him firmly. "It just means I understand where you're coming from."

She turned from him and returned to the courtroom, Naraku only a step behind her, grumbling about stupid clients and sentimental idiots.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Alright, is everyone calm now?" Her Honor Shoheki glared at the prosocution and, mostly, the defense.

"We're ready, your honor." Naraku smiled.

"May, I continue, your honor?" Bengoshi asked.

"Please, do." she motioned for him to continue where he had left out.

"Well, as I was saying before we recessed," Bengoshi told her, "after she ran from Mr. Takahashi's apartment, my client stopped to ask what was wrong. After which, she threw their engagement ring at him. A few minutes later, Mr. Takahashi joined my client in the lobby of this building, asking him what had happened, then ran after Miss Higurashi when he heard what my client's story."

"Mr. Imaki?" the judge looked at him. "Do you have anything to add?"

"No, your honor. That's how it happened." Hojo nodded.

"Then what?" she asked, taking down notes. The court scribe was already doing that, but she found it helpful to take them herself as well.

"Anyway, barely a week later, my client finds out that Miss Higurashi had moved into Mr. Takahashi's apartment." Bengoshi continued. "When he saw her next, she was wearing something more suited to...clubbing than the daytime visit she paid him."

In the audience, Sango flinched.

"She admitted to jumping into the bed of the man she had barely known any length of time despite the marriage certificate." he said. "Then moves in with him. It all happened so fast, my client could barely keep up. The love of his life, suddenly a demon whore."

"Objection!" Naraku and Kagome said at the same time. Naraku glared at her.

"Please keep your comments clean, Mr. Bengoshi." the judge told him. "Continue."

"Anyway," Bengoshi said, "It was shortly after that that my client watched a documentary on demonic possession. He recognized all the symptoms in Miss Higurashi and contacted me directly."

"Oh, please." Naraku rolled his eyes. "When I have a fever, a sore throat, and I'm vomiting I don't immediately assume I have ebola. Your honor, the man watches a documentary then assumes his ex was possessed. That's no different from someone looking up cancer online, noticing they have the same symptoms, and jumping to the worst conclusion then it turns out they just have a cold. Some things really are as simple as they appear."

"And sometimes, they really do have cancer or ebola." Bengoshi told him. "Just because it doesn't happen all the time doesn't mean it never happens."

"Children." the judge glared. "Keep it peaceful, please. Naraku, I'll hear your client's side now."


	21. Thank You

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Don't forget to leave your thanks for my new beta, Angel of Love and Fluffy Stuff. It's with her aide that I shall now be presenting you these chapters.

**Thank You**

"Thank you, your honor." Naraku stood as Bengoshi sat back down.

"First," she said, "are dog demons even capable of possession?"

"That was very first point, your honor." Naraku said. "Dog demons have minimal abilities to possess anything. It's not a matter of strength, it's just that they can't do it. Dog demons aren't the most...subtle of creatures."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes but otherwise didn't react.

"Besides that, my client is clearly a half demon." he continued. "That mean's he's half human. There's never been any record, ever, of a half demon possessing any_thing_ much less any_one. _They simply lack the ability."

"Your honor," Bengoshi spoke up, "I'd like to point out that just because it's never happened doesn't mean it couldn't. And possession is an ability demons don't ever admit to. You'll recal a few years ago we discovered that weasel demons, formerly thought to not be able to possess anything or anyone could, in fact, do both."

"Noted." the judge said. "Continue, Naraku."

Naraku turned his glare away from Bengoshi and smiled back at the judge. "Anyway, it's long been known and accepted that dog demons were the most trusted of the demons."

"And why is that?" Bengoshi asked. "Because they're dogs? Just because the domesticated breed has been human's companion since there have been humans doesn't mean we should trust demons modeled after them."

"Boys!" The judge snapped because it looked like another arguement was about to start. "Bengoshi, please keep your inurruptions to a minimum. Naraku, get to the point."

"Yes, your honor." both men said.

"Well, my collegue's idea that this possession is what happened, is completely foolish." Naraku continued. "Just because Mr. Imaki got dumped, he shouldn't try and ruin my clients' lives. Every 'symptom' of this alleged possession can easily be explained."

"Than please, do so." The judge sighed. Naraku always gave her a headache.

"He says that my clients moved entirely too fast in their relationship." Naraku started. "I would like to point out that Mr. Imaki and Ms. Higurashi, in their entire relationship which lasted over two years, never had sex once."

The crowd flinched.

"Poor Ms. Higurashi." Naraku pouted a bit. "So when she saw a real man, ready to treat her like a real woman...well, who wouldn't take that option."

"Objection." Bengoshi looked appalled.

"Overruled." the judge said in monotone. "Continue."

"He says proof of a severe personality shift was that her style changed." Naraku did so. "But, I can tell you, when you're dumped a woman feels the need ot rub salt in the wound in every way possible. Dressing up, showing him what he's missing, is something every female in the world would do."

The judge didn't protest.

"True, she quit to work for Mr. Takahashi," Naraku kept going, "but she was unhappy where she had been working. Repressed you could say. And like a little butterfly, she's pushed her way out of her caccoon and is stretching her wings."

"Gag me." Bengoshi said. "Don't try to make demonic possession pretty Naraku."

Naraku ignored him and instead proceeded to tell the judge what had happened from Inuyasha's perspective from the moment he picked up Kagome in the park after she had left his apartment complex, glossing over the more...intimate details. He made sure to mention that Kagome came from a long line of priests and priestesses and was periodically blessed by her grandfather, one such priest. After that, her mother stood and testified that she had, in fact, known about the marriage leaving out how long she had known about it, and that she approved completely and wanted an actual ceremony when all this was done.

When Naraku finished, Bengoshi having made numerous inturruptions, Her Honor Shoheki's patience was gone.

"All right." she said, resisting the urge to message her temple. "We'll have a thirty minute recess while I think all this over."

"All rise." the ballif called out.

Everyone did so as the judge left her chair and left the courtroom to go into the smaller room just beyond it to think.

"Well, I've done all the damage I can do for now." Naraku said, packing his breifcase. "The rest is up to the judge."

Kagome and Inuyasha embraced, taking comfort in each others presence, enjoying a quiet moment together.

In the audience, Sango sat back in her seat and sighed.

Miroku, right next to her, didn't have his usual chearful face on. "I just don't know which way the judge'll swing." he confessed at last.

"I'm pregnant." Sango said calmly.

Silence.

"What!" Miroku looked at her in shock.

"You better shape up 'cause you're the father." she told him without looking at him. "And if you don't marry me you'll be in the grave."

Miroku blinked, confused. "Are those my only options?"

"Yep." Sango said. "We get married, raise it together. And if, after it's 18 and able to live on its own without our support, we can get a divorce."

"What if I don't want a divorce?" Miroku asked, just as calmly.

Sango shrugged but smiled a bit. "We'll see. So? I'm waiting."

Miroku was only confused for a moment. Then he smiled as asked, "Sango, will you marry me?"

"Of course." Sango beamed at him. "But we'll have to put off the ceremony until after the baby is born. I don't want to look fat in my wedding dress.

"Whatever you want, dear." Miroku smirked, putting his arm around his fiancee and pulling her close.

Kagome sighed, trying to remain calm. It was easier done when Inuyasha was holding her like he was. His warmth surrounding her, the gentle thud of his heartbeat in her ear, and his scent wrapping around her.

Hojo being only a few feet away dimmed the moment though.

The lawyers were talking, their whispers unheard but judging by the sour look on their faces, Kagome was sure neither was enjoying the conversation.

"I love you." Inuyasha told her, kissing the top of her head.

Kagome tilted her head back and looked up at him. "I love you."

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?" he asked, pushing her hair out of her face.

"You've mentioned it." Kagome smiled a bit. "Have I ever told you that Sango can make face documents in case we need to leave the country?"

Inuyasha laughed. "Really, can she?"

"Well, she made a realy good drivers liscence for me once." Kagome admitted. "But I don't mind swimming to China if I can do it with you."

"I'll keep that in mind if I need to escape." he kissed her forhead.

"Hey, guys!" Miroku called suddenly from the benches making them turn. "I'm getting married with possibility of parole in the -Umph!"

"We're getting married." Sango smiled, having just elbowed Miroku in the ribs.

"Congratulations." Kagome called back, her smile true for her friend.

"Told you you would get attached." Inuyasha told Miroku who was grinning at Sango.

"She's pregnant." Kagome told him making Inuyasah choke on his own tongue and causing all four of them to laugh.

Happy to get their mind's off their own impending doom, Kagome and Inuyasha spend the last few minutes of the judge's recess talking about wedding plans, baby plans, and how if Miroku wanted a raise to help his new wife and child, he better start working harder.

It was easy, it was lighthearted, and for just a moment, Kagome could smile without worry.

Then the ballif asked everyone to rise for Her Honor, Justice Shoheki.

The white haired, elderly woman returned to the room and took her seat, her face unreadable.

"Alright," she said clearly. "I've made my decision.


	22. Guilty

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Don't forget to leave your thanks for my new beta, Angel of Love and Fluffy Stuff. It's with her aide that I shall now be presenting you these chapters.

That's it guys. This is the last chapter. I hope you've enjoyed reading Divorce as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Don't ask for an epilogue, there wont be one. I love all of you and thank you for your endless support in everything I do.

XOXOXO

-Sombra

**Guilty**

"Guilty!" a voice yelled making the entire courtroom jump in surprise. "Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!"

"Sorry about that." Her Honor Shoheki sighed. "My collegue next door can get a bit overemotional. Now, what was I saying?"

"You're ruling, your honor." the baliff told her.

"Right." Shoheki remembered. "After revueing the case I have determined that there isn't enough evidence to-"

Her next words were drowned out by cries of complaint by Hojo and Bengoshi.

Naraku looked smug and Kagome and Inuyasha beamed in victory.

"Shiri! Mr. Imaki!" Shoheki looked offended. "Please. Possession is a very serious charge, if there isn't enough proof to back up your statement than I have no choice but to-"

"But you honor!" Hojo looked desperate. "He's a filthy half-breed! He doesn't have the same morals as us humans!"

There was a moment of silence as Naraku's smirk, if it was possible, widened and Bengoshi smacked his own head in frustraition.

"Mr. Imaki," Shiori Shoheki said calmly but coldly, "I am a filthy half-breed."

Inuyasha snorted in happiness as Naraku cursed himself for not mentioning Hojo's racism earlier.

Hojo looked shocked. "B-But you look so...so..."

"I wear contacts, Mr. Imaki." she told him, her artificial brown eyes flashing. "My eyes are actually red and my hair has always been white. I come from a long line of bat demons. In fact, my uncle is in court at the moment suing some company for racism. I don't appreciate comments like that in my courtroom.

"As I was saying, there isn't sufficient proof to back up a possession charge. That is my final ruling. Case dismissed."

She banged the gavel and Kagome and Inuyasha cheered.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Happy Anniversery." Inuyasha whispered in Kagome's ear.

Kagome giggled. Twenty-six years and still going strong. How many marriages could boast that?

"You're not supposed to see me yet." Kagome turned and wrapped her arms around his neck.

The satin of her white gown twirling with her. The bodice was a bit low but Kagome felt beautiful. Probably because she wasn't showing yet. But that would come soon. Sango demanded that hers be a girl so that she and her baby boy could marry and they would really be family.

"Yeah, well, I couldn't wait." Inuyasha kissed her. "Besides, you've been my bride for a long time now. I don't think that tradition applies for renewing vows. You're beautiful, by the way."

"Thank you." Kagome beamed happily.

Inuyasha was only half dressed. His tuxedo coat was in the other room waiting for him to put it on. He didn't like wearing all of it at once. He would put it on before they walked down the isle and not a moment sooner.

Inuyasha's garage was a big hit, doing better business than Yukia's had. Business was so good, in fact, that he had given himself a two week vacation for his honeymoon with his adorable wife. There were two tickets to Fiji in his bag and both of them had been brushing up on their English for the trip. He was a bit worried about leaving his shop in Miroku's hands for any length of time but Sango promised to keep her husband in line.

Having a baby had calmed Miroku down considerably. He was almost reliable now. Almost. So Inuyasha was going to fly out of the country feeling only minor trepadition that night.

Then it would be two weeks of post-marital bliss with his darling wife that he was about to re-marry.

"Where's mom?" Kagome asked, playing with a strand of Inuyasha's silver hair.

"She's out there." Inuyasha promised. "Relax. She said our wedding cake looks amazing. Red velvet, our favorite."

"Yummy." Kagome leaned up and kissed him again.

Her pregnancy cravings, so far, consisted only of Inuyasha. That was the only thing she seemed to want anymore. Him, him, and more of him. And if that was the only thing she ever craved in this pregnancy she wouldn't be happier.

Inuyasha broke the kiss first. "Don't want to ruin your pretty make-up. Sango will kill me."

"She'll get over it." Kagome licked her lips. "You know," she leaned up and whispered, "I'm not wearing any panties."

Inuyasha swollowed the sudden lump in his throat. "Save it for after the ceremony, love." he told her.

Kagome pouted but back away. "Shoo, then. I'll see you at the end of the isle."

"Don't be late." he winked before he left the room.

"Corny." she called happily after him.

Kagome turned back to the mirror and fixed her smudged lipstick.

She placed a hand over her, as yet, flat belly and stroked it gently.

A year ago, she knew she would be married. She just didn't think it would be like this. Re-speaking her vows to a half-demon whose child she was already carrying. Not what she planned and still exactly what she wanted.

As far as she knew, Hojo had found a nice, human girl who taught second grade. From what Sango told her, things were going well. The girl knew Hojo was a racist and told him that if he wanted to marry her, he had to learn to open his heart a bit more.

Kagome was happy for him, she was.

Because she had Inuyasha and the perfect life as an account manager at a small, privately owned garage that made good money. It was everything she could have asked for in life.

"Kagome." Sango poked her head in through the door. She looked amazing in her green matron of honor dress. "It's time."

Kagome smiled and grabbed her bouquet off the table and left the room.

She took her place at the back of the church, hidden from view as Sango kissed her cheek.

"Excited?" her best friend asked.

Kagome nodded. "Ecstatic."

"I'm pregnant again." Sango told her without a single change of expression. "I think Miroku thinks if he keeps me pregnant we'll never divorce. He's like a clinging vine."

"And you love it." Kagome laughed.

"Just how you love how corny Inuyasha is." Sango countered.

"It's not corny." Kagome said. "It's romantic."

"It's both." Sango laughed as she turned and followed the second bride's maid down the isle.

Kagome waited a moment.

The organ music broke off.

She heard the familiar fanfare that was her que.

For that one moment, she stood alone. By herself, with all her friends and family waiting for her out there. With Inuyasha waiting down there for her. It was a moment of peace. Her last moment being alone as she heard the steps of a whole crowd of people getting to their feet.

The first notes of her march came on and Kagome turned out onto the isle.

Inuyasha smiled at her from the other end and Kagome took the first step into her new life.


End file.
